Adventures in Camelot
by Flora Olivens
Summary: Calisto wants to erase herself from the real world, so she gets punished and ends up in a different and magical on! Reluctant at the beginning, it will turn out to be the adventure of a life time. An experience that will change her forever.
1. Prologue

_A/N: This is my first Merlin fanfiction, so please have patience with me. Also this isn't a Mary Sue kind of story, so just bear with me. In the mean time, please read and enjoy._

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the _Merlin_ series, although I wished for that. :D

_**Prologue**_

She wasn't much.

Groaning in disgust, she looked in the mirror again hoping for something better. She closed her eyes and inhaled. _Think positive, think positive_. She opened them again. The same common face looked at her in horror, the same fade clothes which looked pitiful on her, the same brown hair which would stick the way _it_ wanted, in a small ponytail making her feel pathetic. Even the damn make-up on her face looked ridiculous.

No, it wasn't that she wasn't much.

She was simply _ugly_.

She closed the door of her closet and sighing, she sat down on her bed. Thank God that Alice wasn't there to make her feel uglier still. She slowly started to undress herself and take a sweatshirt and some pants, which have seen better days. She washed away her make up. She wasn't going to meet that guy at the party. It didn't matter anyways. He wouldn't have liked her.

She sighed again pulling the covers on her. Hot tears of frustration and pain flooded her eyes. It wasn't fair. With her curves, mane people called her _fat_. With her eyes always covered by glasses, people called her _lab rat_ or _geek_. With her horrible hair, a brown reddish thing, people called her a _witch_. No matter how hard she tried to fit in somewhere or in some group, even now during college, she was unseen and unknown.

That's why she didn't have friends, which was why she didn't have a boyfriend. You can't call _boyfriend_ a guy who never came to the second date, making you wait for him in the rain. Not only was she ugly, but she was pretty _pathetic_ too. If she could just have a power to erase herself from this world, she would gladly have used it right there and now. The only thought that still kept her mind in one peace was related to her parents. But now…. Maybe sleeping for thousands of years was a good idea too. Impossible, but nonetheless appealing.

"People like you are the ones that make my job really difficult." The strange voice made her jump in fright, pulling the covers and in her confusion and fear, falling down from the bed in a mess of covers and blankets. And what she saw next would change the rest of her life.


	2. One: the Beginning

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the _Merlin_ series, although I wished for that. :D

**One**

**The Beginning**

"Who the hell are you?!" The girl yelled so hard that the old lady in front of her flinched at the high volume of the voice. "Get out before I call the police!"

"Why would the police held someone who would like to erase herself?!" The old lady snapped back at her, freezing the girl in her utter disbelief.

"Excuse me?!" She looked at the old lady as if she came from another planet.

"I don't think I will excuse you, Calisto Finn!" The old lady snapped back again and scowled at the girl who was to amaze to even act. "Now, do to all the people of the world a favour and stop thinking! Your negative thoughts are going to give me a terrible headache!"

"How-how do you know my name?" Calisto stuttered pulling her covers to her mouth and still looking as if she was about to be electrocuted or smuggled to a third-world country and sold as a human slave.

"What did I say to stop thinking?" The old lady shrieked this time and Calisto put her hands on her ears. "Jesus, Lord Forgive me, you are one of the most annoying humans I have ever worked with!" She took a wand out of thin air and, with one swish, she made Calisto stay on the bed again, rested against some very comfortable pillows which weren't there before. "All these negative thoughts that are constantly pouring down your mind are making me sick!"

"I'm sorry?!" Calisto whispered so confused and still terrified that the old lady finally smiled and made a chair coming right next to hair, making a cup of tea appear in her hand.

"Not good enough, Calisto Finn! Now, let's get down to business."

"Who are you?" Calisto found finally some guts to ask her and the old lady sighed.

"You're not going to let me do the things properly, are you? Fine, fine!" The old lady inhaled deeply, before smiling widely and telling her: "I have many names that I go by, but you can call me Fate. I think that this is definitely something familiar to you."

"Fate? As in destiny and everything?"

"Yes, something like that! Well, actually I am not exactly Fate – I'm more like, an agent of hers."

"An agent?!"

"Will you stop doing that? It's really annoying!"

"Well, I'm sorry but really, lady, what are you doing here? You enter in my room in the middle of the night telling me that you are Fate or whatever and you expect me to believe that?!" Calisto was now yelling at her again and it took her all the determination to stop right there from screaming some more, because there was suddenly something that dawned on her. "Is it Patrick that made you do this? Did he pay you to do that?"

"Who's Patrick?!" The old face was clearly confused but it surely didn't convince Calisto.

"Sure you don't!" Calisto got out of the bed looking practically murderous to the old lady. "Get out and tell that asshole that I didn't fall for this! I don't know how you managed some tricks like these but give me a break already! I don't care if-"

Her voice stopped in the middle of the sentence realizing that with that weird swish of her hand that strange lady made her lose her voice. Calisto's eyes got so big that they could have popped out of their sockets. The old lady made her sit again on the bed and she frowned deeply.

"I can't believe you, Calisto! I am so disappointed in you!" She tsked, coming closer to the girl, who pulled her knees to her chest in a protective stance. "Look at you! You're such a disgrace! I made so many good wished for you when you were born and you're just wasting your talents! You're right: I'm not Fate _per se_. When I told you I was an agent of hers, I wasn't lying though. I am what could be called a _Fate Wisher_. Are you familiar with this term?"

Calisto shook her head, thinking about how to be calm and think clearly. Surely someone poured some poison in her lunch or something which had an effect only now. Maybe that old lady was a madwoman or something like that. Of course of she was going to think later on about the whole matter, she could even explain how those pillows appeared or how she could do all those things to her. What was happening was too unreal anyways!

"What did I tell you to stop thinking stupid things like that? I'm not a madwoman! I'm a Fate Wisher. Since you don't know what exactly that is, why don't you pay attention to me and stop making me get annoyed?! You could call me Moira. I always liked that name." Fate sighed again and her brows frowned deeper. "I was so happy when you were born, Calisto. You had such a nice alignment of the stars, that your fate seemed settled already. I gave you so many things: I made you a lovely person, gentle with the others, kind and smart, ready to help the others. I also made you brave and generous. And then, here I come back after so many years of attending others and find you making a fool of yourself, thinking about erasing yourself, not believing in the magic of every day life. How come you got so low, Calisto? You had so many gifts."

_But you didn't make me beautiful. _Calisto thought resentfully.

"Like that actually matters!" Moira snorted. "Surely you don't mean that!" She waited a couple of seconds before finally realizing that Calisto has never been more serious than in that particular moment. "Seriously? You think you're not beautiful? What in the world made you think that?!"

_You have eyes!_ Calisto cried in her thought. _I'm plain and common; there's nothing special about me._

"God, Calisto, you couldn't be more wrong than that!" Fate took Calisto's hand in hers and made a pleading look. "Trust me when I tell you everyone in this world is special, born with some incredible gifts. But you all tend to forget about them, let yourself discouraged by the people around you, by small trifle matters of the world, by yourself. You are your own worst enemy! A wise woman once said that nobody can make you feel worse than yourself. I tend to agree with her."

_But…_

"No but, Calisto! Now, stop making me blabber! I haven't come here for a lesson in human soul and mind! I don't have time for this psychological crap!" Moira looked up and murmured a little _sorry_.

_Why are you here then?_

"I'm here to punish you, Calisto Finn!" Fate's voice filled Calisto with dread.

_Punish me?_

"Yes, punish you! Tonight you had a date with a nice guy at your college party, didn't you?"

_Yes. So? You're punishing me because I didn't want to go to a blind date set up by Alice just because she damn pities me?!_

"Honestly, yes." Calisto wanted to snort but couldn't and so she just felt like she would express her frustration through a deadly glare. "Actually not just that, Calisto! It is the type of opportunities in life that you just keep on throwing away in your life because you have a stupid misconception about how your life should be. Like for instance tonight. You actually looked really pretty in that blue skirt and pink top. You had a sexy air. You were glowing at the beginning of the evening but then all of the sudden you changed your opinion. I was sick and tired of this happening and so I am making a little intervention."

_Intervention? What kind of intervention?_ Calisto asked in fear.

"Nothing drastically, I assure you. I just think it's time to see what happens when you miss an opportunity like the one which presented itself tonight."

_What? Are you going to make me date guys until the day I die?_

"I honestly thought that for a second." Calisto rolled her eyes but seeing how mischievously Fate's eyes glittered, she feared the worst. "I'm going to make you meet the one, the man that was destined to you…mixed with a little travelling in time."

Calisto's terrified face was beyond words but Moira just chuckled.

"Oh, this will be so much fun! Let's see!" Suddenly a book enwrapped in a weird cover appeared in the old hands. "Ancient Rome? Nah, they were a little too much into the orgies back then. Middle Ages? Nah, a little too dark for my taste. Maybe in the Renaissance era? They were many gorgeous painters back then. Maybe you could convince one of them to make you a portrait. No?"

I don't want to fucking travel through time!!! Calisto screamed angrily, barely conscious of the absurdity of this all. I'm satisfied with where I am right now.

"I dare to contradict you dear girl. You most certainly aren't. Now, maybe not Renaissance. They ended up miserably anyways. How about after the French Revolution? Victorian Age?"

_Would you stop that?! I don't want that. Leave me alone! Please, just-just leave me alone!_ Calisto's eyes became dangerously watery and she looked at Moira with a sort of strange mix of hate and sorrow. _I'm fucking all right. I'll go and date that guy if that's so important for you but please, you can surely stop with this circus now!_

"No, Calisto, I can't!" Moira mumbled sadly and she caressed the girl's head. "I don't want to see you dating a guy just because I threatened you with time travelling. I want you to experience life; I want you to be happy and most important I want you to realize the magic of life. It's high time you did that!" Moira fell silent for a moment before suddenly brighten up. "I know! It's perfect for you! Come on! Get up! I have just the thing for you!"

_Where are you taking me?_ Calisto mumbled just as she felt instantly weak. It was as if her eyes were heavy lidded and there was no power in the world to make her react. The room was spinning with her and she felt her head pounding hard. Something terrible was going to happen to her, she could feel it and it was too late to alert anyone. She should have called the police the moment she saw that old lady in her room.

"Stop thinking!" She heard a distant snarl. "And remember this, Calisto Finn! You won't be back to the real world until you will use all your gifts and when you realize who the man you're supposed to meet is! Be aware of the blue eyes! And for crying out loud, do try to have some fun!"

Calisto would have replied with some terrible thoughts, had she had the opportunity. She might have thought about torturous ways to kill somebody or to make them pay for the mockery. She would have thought even how to yell at Moira and tell her that this all idea was so stupid that she would have given her a prize. Calisto would have also thought that she was going insane and that the solitude had finally got to her. She would have thought on many other things. But then she didn't. She was too busy travelling through the worlds, in a blissful unconsciousness, unaware the changes that occurred around her…or with her.

*

Breathing slowly, the girl opened her eyes. She immediately closed them thinking that there was no way in world that something like this might happen. She closed them tightly: she was sure that she could make the illusion disappear. She took a deep breath and then slowly opened one eye and then the other. Holy mother of fuck! She instantly raised herself from the ground just so she could fall back again, groaning in pain. Her head was throbbing and her eyes were killing her. She let her head gently on the cold ground, slowly taking a look around. She was in a forest. Nice, that old harpy left her in a forest to be eaten by God knows what kind of sick and wild animals! That was just great! Peachy!

Calisto inhaled again the damp air. Maybe it wasn't that bad. She was going to wake up really soon from this terrible nightmare and she was going to go to the first psychiatrist that she would find and get herself treated of whatever she was suffering. O she might have taken a really hard blow to the head when she fell out of the bed and this was her mind trying to take on the after effect, while she was lying on the floor of her college room, God knows only, when to be found. Convincing herself that in the end everything was just a pitiful imagery of her mind, Calisto decided that maybe she should pay a little more attention to her surroundings. At least it was very interesting to see the places her mind would create to keep her safe from whatever happened in reality.

It was a beautiful forest, not like another she had seen. True, she was more of a city girl, with not much experience in hiking or anything, but it had a pleasurable air about it anyways. The trees seemed to communicate between themselves, whispering something in the wind's gentle breeze. Even the place where she was seated was covered with moss making her feel more at ease. The birds were singing quietly. Everything emanated peace and tranquility. That was nice.

She tried to change her position, making herself lying on the back when she realized that she was dressed differently too. She raised her hands in the air just in time to see the sleeves of a white dress with some blue embroidery, sown in an intricate pattern. She felt her legs enwrapped in a soothing material too. She let her hands down, resting her palms on her chest. This was too damn maddening but she would have to react sooner or later. She should get up and have a look around, but she was afraid of her headache.

Only then she became also conscious of something sticky smearing her forehead. She put a hand there and winced. She took it away and saw blood. Well, now that was explaining everything! Even in her dream she had to be wounded or feeling pain of some sort!

"All you all right?!" The panicked words made her startle and look around in fright. Why was that man speaking a strange language and why did she understand everything? She closed her eyes, wishing to become invisible, but the warm hands that touched her cheeks were definitely not a hallucination.

"Can you hear me? Are you all right?" The voice was so arm and concerned that the temptation to answer him was just too deep not to answer it, although she seriously doubted she knew his language. She slowly opened her eyes and was struck by some of the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She swallowed hard, that weird voice still ringing in her years. The young man smiled gently at her., trying to reassure her.

"You're going to be all right! The man I live with is the king's doctor! I'm sure he'll help you!" He mumbled gently while taking his scarf and trying to make a sort of bandage with it, trying most likely to stop her bleeding. His gentleness made Calisto feel all warm inside. This young man was kinder than any other person has been with her in some time.

"My head hurts!" She mumbled, surprised by the idea that she actually knew his language.

"I'm sure it does! After such a blow!" The boy smiled again, really happy that she said some words. "What's your name?"

"My name? It's Calisto." She winced when his scarf touched again her wound. Probably it was deeper and more serious than she previously thought.

"That's an interesting name. Well, Calisto, what happened? How did you get here?!" She looked confused at him, as if trying to come up with a real excuse. She had none so she just mumbled the truth.

"I don't know! The only thing that I remember is waking up here! By the way, where am I?" She finally picked up her courage and asked and the frown on the boy's head deepened, but as he was about to answer, another voice, a harsher one, asked from around me somewhere:

"Merlin, you idiot! I told you to bring the rabbits, not playing around in the forest! What are you doing? One of these days I will have you-" But she never got the rest of the sentence as another pair of blue eyes looked at her with an utter surprise but genuine concern too.

"Merlin, don't tell me I was hunting for rabbits and accidentally hit her!"


	3. Two: Headaches

A/N: This chapter maybe a little bit boring but I needed it to settle some things. Also, thank you very much to those who reviewed my story or favourited/ alerted it. Please, read and enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I am just a poor soul that definitely doesn't own the _Merlin_ series!

**Two**

**Headaches**

"No, sire! You didn't do anything to her!" Merlin answered a little bit amused, almost wanting to say the opposite, but feeling that he shouldn't push the young prince's patience too far. Arthur looked only for a second relieved before looking at the girl in Merlin's arms who now was chuckling.

"What is so amusing, my lady?" Arthur asked looking disapproving to Calisto who now was really laughing although her head was positively throbbing and her tears were more of pain than of amusement.

"It's just… your names… If he's Merlin, then you must be Arthur!"

"As a matter of fact, actually it is! Why?" He scowled at the girl deciding that he wasn't going to like her much and that she was definitely weirder than normal people are, whatever normality in those days meant. However his words only made her laugh harder, but she winced in pain when she tried to get up helped by Merlin, so she rested a little.

"I think the blow to my head was harder than I expected." She mumbled looking a little dejected at Merlin who smiled kindly. "But please, don't tell me that I'm in Camelot!"

"Yes, actually you are! Where would you expect yourself to be?" Arthur was surely annoyed with her and Calisto glared at him. Surely, she was acting strange but the prince or king or whatever he was at the moment was behaving like a brat.

"Camelot!" She repeated a little breathless. "Do you have a round table and knights?" She giggled like they knew her inside joke too.

"Not a round table, just some knights!" Merlin answered quickly before Arthur said anything harsh and he was sure that the prince wasn't going to be nice to the poor girl by the way he pursued his lips, ready to spew some mean things too, like Arthur always did when he was upset.

"I see!" The girl murmured and she clung to Merlin's shirt as the forest started to spin with her when she finally stood up. Her pale face became white and for a moment the young warlock feared that she was going to be sick. He wanted really badly to take care of her: she seemed so fragile but there was something in her attitude, in her words and joking manner that gave her an outwardly air. Her dress was beautiful: simple and yet elegant. She didn't seem a commoner and yet not a lady. Arthur called her like that out of sheer courtesy.

"Come on, Calisto! I'll take care of you; let's just get you out of the woods." Merlin murmured gently and then looked to Arthur: "Sire, I think her wound is pretty bad. She really needs to be seen by Gaius."

"Fine, fine! Another hunting trip ruined solely by you, Merlin, I hope you do realize that!" The young prince looked at the girl again and her trembling state convinced him that she was feeling really bad. "Do you have any luggage with you?" He asked brusquely addressing her directly and Calisto almost sensed the need to answer him right away.

"I don't think so, Sire!" Arthur rolled his eyes; she picked up rather quickly the same ironic manner to tell his title, exactly like Merlin had done. "I mean, I'm not sure! I don't remember much!"

Her words made the boys look around them and it was Arthur who saw first a small leather bag, which had seen better days, right next to a tree. By the traces which were there, it was most likely that the girl fell and landed on the hard ground, bumping her head while in the process. The world seemed much fuller with clumsy people like Merlin after all. It was also Arthur who went and took her bag while Merlin finally took her on his back, making her feel strangely guilty. The young man didn't look too muscular.

"Are you sure you can do this, Merlin?" She asked gently still with a tinge of humour when she said his name. The warlock wanted to smile again and assure her with some wonderful words, but he wasn't sure himself. She wasn't heavy, that wasn't the problem; it just was the fact that he had never carried a girl on his back before and he was strangely aware of her presence. Arthur smirked before getting ahead of them without a word. After all, carrying her bag was more than enough and he would have made Merlin carry even that, had he not thought that perhaps the young servant would become even sloppier with his duties the following days.

"This is so strange!" Merlin heard the girl mumble in his ear.

"Where are you from, Calisto? Do you remember that?" He asked gently afraid that she might sleep. Once, Gaius told him that people with a bad blow to the head shouldn't be left asleep, if it could be prevented. There were many wise things that Gaius told him over the time they share together but Merlin sometimes filtered them. He felt a pang of guilt at that.

"I'm from a neighbouring… village, you could say." Calisto felt strange for saying that but there was a small voice in her head telling her that she should lie, she should make up a story and perhaps when she would wake up again, she would be at home again. "I was looking for work nearby!" She had really read too many books.

"Do you have any family that we could send word to? I could easily do that for you if you'd like." Merlin said again, starting to breathe heavily. It was difficult to keep his pace with that of Arthur's and still carry her. Calisto thought a moment, before finally adding:

"No, I don't have any family in this world!" She wasn't lying either. She let her cheek on his back and tried to breathe steadily. Her head was throbbing. She wasn't lying about that either. However she felt surrounded by a strange scent of musk and wood; as if Merlin worked all day somewhere near by. Even through the thin material of his jacket, she could still feel his tensed muscles, trying to make her comfortable and at the same time keeping her safe. She loved the sensation. Moira's words rang in her mind with a strange echo. Maybe that horrible witch referred to Merlin when she said that. It would have been nice.

"Calisto, are you still with me?" Merlin's voice was full of worry and it made her open up her eyes again.

"Yes, Merlin, I am still here!" She looked at Arthur's back and she narrowed her eyes. On the other hand, she perfectly knew Arthur's type and almost instantly felt a strong dislike towards the young prince. "Is he always like that?" She finally asked and still glared at Arthur's back while her words made Merlin chuckle:

"Don't let him fool you! He can act even harsher, but he is a good man! And he will become a great man one day!"

"Yes, one that will be cheated by his wife with his best friend! What's that so great?" Calisto mumbled, almost feeling sorry for the young blond man in front of her.

"What did you say?" Merlin asked this time confused.

"Nothing, just mumbling to myself!" Calisto felt again a strong sense of self-awareness and decided to ask as many questions as she could, just in case that she might actually wake up the following day still in this strange world.

"So are we actually in Camelot?" Her speech quivered making Merlin fear for her health again.

"Yes, just wait a little more and we'll be right there! Have you ever been to Camelot?"

"Most certainly not!!" Her harsh reply made him tense even more. There was something in her voice, like she remembered a past event which was unpleasant for her memory.

"Then it's good that we found you. You will have the chance to see one of the most beautiful places in the world. Its white towers are beautiful when the rays of the morning sun mirror themselves in the rooftops. And the people here seem happier than everywhere I have been!"

"You seem to love this place! You talk of it as if it's magical!"

"Oh, no, I'm afraid there's no magic here!" Merlin answered quickly making his voice sounding rather dull about it. "The laws of Camelot prohibit everything related to magic! King Uther is very much against anything remotely related to magic and punishes everyone who dares to use it, even if it may be used for good purposes! Actually it will be better for you not to speak about it at all! I have seen people being killed for even less than this."

"Really?" Surprised Calisto finally raised her head from his warm back and said quietly: "I'm confused. Aren't you supposed to be a magician, Merlin?" As soon as he heard her words, the young warlock immediately made a false step and before realizing what has actually happened both he and Calisto fell again on the ground, in a mass of legs and arms and material. Calisto groaned in pain; she would have laughed since it was just the second time that she was falling so hard again, but Merlin landed on her side and it wasn't the best way to fall when a boy would crush you.

"For crying out loud, Merlin! We try to save the girl, not kill her in the process!" Arthur's cry made Merlin flinch while looking guilty at Calisto, who looked possibly even whiter. But he was confused: why would she say such a thing? And even more importantly she looked very convinced on her words. She opened her eyes and looked at him in awe, while Arthur was tossing the things he carried aside and leaned over them both.

"You are an idiot, after all!" He said grumpily looking at her a little worried as well.

"I'm sorry, Calisto!" Merlin said disregarding Arthur's harsh words, almost panting. "I think I wasn't paying attention." The girl looked at him with an indecipherable look upon her face and then she tried to smile at him. It came out as a sort of grimace.

"It's all right! I must be heavy anyways! Maybe I should try to walk as well! See if I can manage it!" Both Arthur and Merlin gave their hands to her and she smiled this time as she got up. As soon as she did that, her smile disappeared almost immediately and leaned dangerously on Arthur's side as the young prince caught her at the precise moment.

"I'm really not feeling well!" She mumbled, this time feeling really sick. Maybe her body was finally losing the little force left. Maybe if she would lose her consciousness, she would return sooner to reality, although the pain seemed no longer just nightmare-induced. It was just too throbbing and hurtful and she felt that sooner or later she would have to give up to such a theory. As thoughts like this surrounded her, Calisto began to feel another familiar sensation as well: that of fear. A heart wrenching fear and soon she knew that panic would follow too. She swallowed hard, trying to forget the bleak thoughts.

"Ok, let's switch places!" Arthur said grumpily and took her on his back. "How about I carry her and you carry our and her things?" He looked at Merlin with a murderous look, as if he was going to make him pay later for that. But he genuinely felt concern for this girl who seemed so lost and in pain at the moment.

"Are you sure?" His servant looked as if he had second thoughts, as if he wasn't having much trust in his master.

"Just go, Merlin!" Arthur rolled his eyes again and started to walk. Merlin gathered their things again and quickly followed them.

"Make sure she doesn't fall asleep, sire! Gaius told me once that people with hard blows like hers shouldn't be let to fall asleep."

"Now he tells me!" Calisto smiled against his back and felt confused. Arthur definitely felt differently from Merlin. He was broader in shoulders and stone-like, although very warm. His muscles were that of a man who did a lot of physical training and she sensed that maybe working with swords and bows all day must have done the trick. Also he scent was different too: as if he became one with the surrounding nature; he smelled like a rainy day, something woodsy too. She couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"What made you think that we have a round table?" She heard his muffled voice as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to speak with her or not. "It was the oddest thing to mention."

"I read it once in a legend." She murmured feeling much more comfortable and secure on his back, yet she wouldn't have ever admitted it.

"A legend?" Surprise and wonder were mixed within his voice. "What sort of legend?"

"A legend of a noble king." This was fun; she was talking about him and he didn't have a clue. "And this noble king ordered one day for a round table to be made so that he and his knights could stand as equals."

"Why would he do such a thing? How would his authority be recognized then?" He snapped back as if she already suggested making one.

"Doesn't the king shed blood along with his knights? Isn't that what binds them even more? What makes them brothers in arms? And a true king doesn't need such trifle matters in order to have his authority recognized." She fueled her anger against him although it was painful at the moment even to think. Maybe the legends on Merlin and Arthur, the ones that she used to read were simple inventions.

"You sound just like Morgana." He muttered unsatisfied and she understood right away that he wasn't giving her a compliment.

"Don't compare me with a witch!" She retorted back and he froze. He gripped her legs tighter and it hurt but she just moaned a little before he released her and let her have a comfortable stance again. He inhaled as if he was trying to keep his calm.

"Don't talk about her like that! She's not a witch! She's my father's ward! I've known her since I was a child and I won't have you trash her like that! Have you got that?" His harsh tone spoke volumes so Calisto backed off.

"I must have confused her with someone else! I'm sorry if I have offended you or her!" Her voice sounded sincere to him and he looked at Merlin who stopped and looked back at them. Breathing rather hard, Arthur thought that he should have just stayed home that day instead of hunting and finding this weird woman.

"It's all right!" He finally said in a cold voice and started to walk again. Calisto felt confused. Clearly, some things weren't like in those legends that she read. Arthur was but a prince and Merlin didn't seem to admit that hew as a magician. There was no round table and Morgana was kind apparently. She heard once that legends were truths reinterpreted. Maybe this was also the case. She let her hot face against his back and the sensation was completely different. She felt unwelcomed as if her gesture highly displeased him, so she resumed her initial position feeling weaker by the minute.

"Do you have a family? Someone that I should send for, in case you get worse?" He was cold again but he also gave her a clue that he would bother himself for her too. Calisto looked at the green of the forest. It seemed so much more alive than what remembered from her life.

"No, I don't have any family." She mumbled again and he was struck by the loneliness that he felt in her voice. Of course, he felt a sort of different loneliness of a different sort sometimes. He knew how was to feel lonely, surrounded by hundreds of people, who would cheer him but who would also criticize him at the first mistake that he would make. As members of his family, he only had Morgana and his father. The rest of cousins or uncles were spread across the land and he wasn't sure he could call _family_ someone whom he has never seen in his life. And while his father sometimes valued him for what he did, they still argued with quite a disturbing repetitive routine. As for Morgana, although he cherished most of the times her advice, it was her smugness and sarcasm that made her insufferable at times, however deeply he cared for her. And then there was Merlin… Merlin, who always seemed so clumsy and a little stupid, and yet always there when he needed him.

"I can relate to that a little. My mother died when I was born." He whispered kindly to her and for a moment she thought that it was just her imagination playing tricks on them. The kind inflection of his voice seemed almost unnatural.

"Thank you, sire." She mumbled touched by his words and this time really giving the true respect of his title, but he just grunted in acknowledgement. He didn't like to feel so weak in front of someone and he considered he's done enough of a polite conversation. She was becoming aware of the sound of the city. She raised her eyes in time to see something that she has never seen before. It was better than any other medieval recreation or medieval festival that she had ever been too. It felt almost impossible to grasp the reality of everything.

The castle lay there on a cliff surrounded by trees and houses of the people who lived below. There was a continuous rustling and hassle in the narrow streets which resembled quite shockingly to some countryside roads. But it was a breathtaking sight. She could see all sorts of people passing them, surrounding them, bowing to Arthur and yet looking at him like he was alone. Some of them were wearing long ruby cloaks with shiny armours and swords on their belts. Others were wearing tight trousers and tunics, in all sorts of colours and tied in all sorts of shape and manner. The women were dress in long dresses, resembling to the one that she was wearing and for a second she felt at home between them. Knowing also that she had the two boys around her made her feel safe as well.

Because nobody seemed to notice her, she felt invisible again but it was the first time she was actually glad of it. She closed her eyes, letting herself engulfed in all the surrounding noises which seemed so real and which took a toll on her. She was starting to feel dizzy as well and she clung to Arthur's shoulders even more tightly.

"We'll be to Gaius in a moment!" He said softly, understanding that she was feeling worse. She just mumbled something that he didn't comprehend and for a moment he truly felt as if she was slipping away. Fortunately they were coming close to Gaius' house and that made even Arthur feel relieved.

Calisto wasn't feeling much anymore besides her headache. She sensed that she was laid down in a small bed, but she missed Arthur's warmth and she reached for it again only to be met with some cold hands. Their possessor mumbled something soothing to her but she was just too tired and unable to mutter anything else in response so she let herself slip into unconsciousness with a relieved sigh as if it didn't matter anyways whether she was dead or alive.

"Where did you find her, sire?" Gaius' concern voice as he analyzed the gushing wound made Arthur snap back to reality. He looked cold again and master of his emotions, trying to ignore how frail that girl looked with her pale face and heavy breathing. Her face was as white as the dress she wore.

"In the woods. Actually it was Merlin who found her. Will she make it?"

"The blow isn't that bad and you did a wonderful job at keeping her awake. I'm surprised that Merlin remembered such a detail." The old man smiled fondly as he started to clean the wound. "However I am still unaware of how much time she laid unconscious in the forest. This might become a problem later on. Does she have any family?"

"No, she said she is an orphan, Gaius!" Merlin answered quickly and Arthur couldn't help not noticing the protective manner in which his manservant kept the girl's hand in his own. She was unconsciously holding it as if it was her only escape, her only salvation. Arthur looked back to his callous hands. He had never held someone like that before. He had many women in his life, saved a few and even let them climb into his bed, taking the occasional reward that they would offer him. Some of them had even declared that they loved him with all their power and yet every time he would find himself either bored with them or simply betrayed by their fickle nature. Also since he had lived without a mother, he wasn't much caressed by the people around him. His father wanted him a true knight of the city and such gestures were unwelcomed and undone. Morgana was the only one who caressed him when he was too little and too tired for the harsh training that he constantly did under his father's tough observation.

Arthur suddenly looked up again. He was thinking strange things today and it was time to stop. It wasn't like him to become so thoughtful. Why he was bothering himself with a commoner so much was beyond him. His callous hands turned into fists, like smashing the unnecessary thoughts in his mind. He was back into full prince mode.

"Then I will let you see to it." Arthur interrupted the silence noticing Gaius' frowned forehead. "Let's go, Merlin! I'm sure you don't want to make things more difficult for Gaius!" His order, although a very well masked one, was still an order and Merlin reluctantly let go of Calisto's hand. He followed Arthur who already left doctor's house.

"I'll come later to check on her!" Merlin said quickly but Gaius just nodded in acknowledgement. When he was with a patient and one as strange as the one in that small bed, he became surrounded by medical thoughts and nothing else mattered. The wound was deep but didn't seem infected and so Gaius just cleaned it thoroughly before putting a sort of ointment on it. It smelled really bad but it had a really nice effect of stopping the bleeding and making a wound close easier. He then proceeded into bandaging the wound so that it would remain clean like that.

He looked in dismay at the girl. She was about the same age as Merlin, probably even less. Her brown hair was tied back into a heavy and intricate bun, although some really stubborn bits of hair would still get out and caress her neck and face. Her features were harmounious although not very beautiful. Her white dress with blue adorning looked as if it was new and had been worn only once. It said nothing about its mistress and he wondered shortly who she was. He would have to wait at least for the next morning to ask the necessary questions. In the mean time, he had to find a way to take that dirty and bloodied dress and change her into something much more comfortable.

"Gaius, I'm sorry to barge in!" The old man heard Gwen's voice. "I came to take my mistress' medicine."

"And you shall have it in a moment, my dear!" His kind smile made Gwen finally notice the girl from the bed. She rapidly frowned in concern.

"Who is she?"

"Just a poor girl who was found by Arthur and Merlin and who needs our help. Do you have a spare nightgown, Gwen? She has a luggage but I don't like to look into people's things."

"Sure, Gaius, but-but why do you need it?" Gwen blushed as a strange thought passed through her mind.

"I just wanted to make her more comfortable and we need to change her dress. Please, Gwen, could you help me by changing her while I'll leave you two alone?"

"Of course, Gaius. You know I like to help you."

A kind smile appeared on the girl's tired face as she quickly took her mistress's medicine and asked for her permission to help Gaius. Of course the permission was granted and only moments later she came back this time having an old tattered nightgown in her hand to help the mystery girl.

Calisto was oblivious to everything that was happening around her. She fell into a dreamless sleep, but alas the morning didn't bring her much hoped happy ending. When she woke up, she felt an unfamiliar scent in her room and quickly opened her eyes just in time to see that she wasn't in her room. It was an odd one, different in fashion. There was only her bed, a small table and a chair on which lay a bundle of leather. A small window with some intricate patterns on it shed a little bright light on her new surroundings. She looked a little bit confused before the realization dawned on her.

All the events that took over her life hit her with the power of a brick wall and she closed her eyes again, feeling desperate. Screwing them even tighter, she realized that her last hope was finally vanished. That crazy woman truly existed; it was not just a product of her mind and she was most definitely in a time a legend. It was no longer a nightmare. It was a _reality_. And how she was going to cope with it was beyond her.


	4. Three: Adjustment

A/N: I want to thank very much to the ones that reviewed! It's nice to know people's opinions about my writing, if I've done something good or something bad! Also thank you very much to those who alerted/ favourited this story! :D As always, please read and enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the _Merlin_ series!

**Three**

**Adjustment**

So it was a reality. She took a deep breath. It was imperative not to get into panic. The more fearful she would become, the more chances to get into trouble and the less chances to get back to her world. Now, although she didn't have any logical explanation, it was impossible for her to deny anymore the reality of her condition. She was a modern girl sent back in time and she just had to get back. She opened her eyes again, this time making sure to keep them opened. It was no time to lose herself in fear and apprehension. She would find a solution. After all, that bloody Moira told her that she would get back home once she would use her gifts, whatever those gifts were. And she also had to be aware of the blue eyes. Which blue eyes? Of all the people with blue eyes? Just one pair of blue eyes? Because it definitely didn't narrow the candidates. Both Merlin and Arthur had blue eyes! This was so confusing!

She got up and let herself rest a little bit on the bed. It wasn't so bad. She met two important people from day one: Merlin and Arthur. And while she didn't like much Arthur, she positively liked Merlin. She was still a little confused as to why Merlin wouldn't admit that he was a sorcerer, but she now bitterly became aware that she would have plenty of time to find out about that. Nonetheless she gathered a lot of interesting information from the boys yesterday. Firstly, Merlin wasn't a magician or not yet or he didn't want to admit it since that horrible Uther prohibited everything related to magic. Second, there was no round table and since Uther was still a king, that made Arthur still a prince. Third, Morgana was actually related to Arthur and apparently good. Interesting. Finally Camelot did exist and therefore the knights were a reality too. That should be very interesting as well. She always thought one of them were actually really cool.

She looked again at the bundle of leather on the chair. She scarcely remembered that Arthur did find something belonging to her yesterday so that probably was her luggage. She swallowed hard before getting up from the bed. She froze.

"What the hell?" She exclaimed as she finally saw that she was no longer wearing her dress but a worn nightgown. It was long and had a grayish colour as if it had been washed too many times. Also the material was somehow unknown to her. It was harsher than any other material that she had felt before. So maybe they weren't very good weavers. So what? But what struck her more was the fact that she wasn't wearing anything under it. She was completely naked under that gown and once again she felt like cold panic surging through her guts. She totally forgot that some of the modern commodities were out of her reach. She had just hoped that she could have kept some of them.

She tsked angrily before finally deciding to open her bundle. There wasn't much in there. There were two dresses which looked new although not too elegant. One was blue and one was green. That was it? That was all she could wear around here? She also had a blue nightgown with some white lace and some other small dresses which looked like they should be worn under the dresses. That should be interesting. There was also a sort of notebook with a leather cover, smelling like it had been kept in a damp place for the longest of time. She opened it hungrily, hoping there would be something useful. There was nothing but empty pages although on the first coarse leaf it was written with sketchy letters a small "_good luck!_" Calisto felt the need to roar in frustration but she just puffed and closed back the notebook putting it down on the table. What was she going to do with a couple of dresses, an empty notebook and …… for crying out loud, what was that?

She took out the loincloth and looked at it. It had a sort of girdle to make it stay fixed if it was ever going to be used. She turned it on both sides trying to comprehend how it was going to remain fixed on her body and thinking that she couldn't possibly be used for something good. Still holding the loincloth in her hand, she scavenged for something else but she only found objects that had to be used on a daily basis: a hairbrush with a beautifully-carved wooden handle, some hairpins which had seen better days and some objects which were probably used for writing. There was also a black mantle and a small book. She opened the book and it had an intricate writing. Calisto again was surprised that she understood everything it said: _About magic and other useful things for understanding magic_. She frowned. Was that supposed to help her? Or was she supposed to give it to Merlin?

She hid the book again remembering Merlin's words about how magic was regarded in Camelot at the moment. Most certainly it wasn't going to help her in case it would have been found out. Great! That bloody Moira gave her useless things but she didn't give her any money or anything by which she could manage around here. Where was she going to live? Where was she going to stay and what in God's name was she going to eat?

She looked at the loincloth again. Just the thought of having to wear that made her want to scream.

"And how in the hell am I supposed to wear this?" She mumbled dissatisfied, turning it again to see how exactly she was going to put it on.

"Don't tell me you didn't wear something like this before! It's underwear after all!" The girly voice made her snap to reality and look around her just in time to see a girl about her age looking at her in confusion too. She seemed like a simple girl, dressed in a gown with another sort of apron in front.

"This is underwear?" Calisto groaned in pain as the girl closed the door, a faint blush covering her cheeks. Her kind eyes were trying to understand Calisto's horror.

"Yes, of course."

"But how do you…" Calisto swallowed hard trying to find her words. "I mean, how do you…where do you tie it? And how does it stay fixed?"

"You sound as if you haven't worn anything like this before." The girl smiled although the blush was becoming increasingly strong on her cheeks. Calisto blushed too this time because she was afraid that what she was going to say next was going to sound like madness.

"Actually I think that the blow to my head affected me in strange ways." She was lying again and it seemed she was becoming quite good at it. "Could you please tell me where I am?" She sighed and sat down on the bed. The mysterious girl followed her gesture and sat down as well.

"You are in Gaius' house. Merlin and Prince Arthur brought you here yesterday. Do you remember that?"

"Oh, yes, I remember. But how I ended up here? And dressed like this?" Calisto sighed heavily becoming aware of the difficult situation in which she found herself.

"Gaius cleaned your wound and afterwards asked me to change your clothes. They were bloodied and dirty and you had to be washed too so he asked me to take care of this. The nightgown that you are wearing is mine." The girl's nice voice soothed somehow her confusion and made her feel more at ease.

"And I am very grateful for it. Thank you." Calisto tried to smile while becoming aware of the bandage on her head again. It was as if she was doomed to always wake up in confusion. "By the way, my name is Calisto."

"And I am Guinevere, well, Gwen for short!" The girl smiled back while Calisto felt her mouth fall wide open.

"A princess attended to me?!" She blurted out without thinking again to the differences that she observed the other day. This time Gwen laughed lightly and Calisto felt that blush on her cheeks.

"A princess? Me? But I am just a maid for Lady Morgana. I am the daughter of a blacksmith and I am positively sure that my mother was no queen."

"But… I'm confused again." Calisto mumbled looking at the strange loincloth in her hands. "Things are not as I thought they would be."

"How did you expect them to be?" There was a tinge of curiosity in Gwen's voice although she was probably too polite to ask her any other questions.

"Just not like this." Calisto inhaled deeply.

"I see… Well, Calisto, Gaius sent me to see if you woke up and if you need anything."

"Oh, actually I want to ask you something, Gwen!" Calisto looked pleadingly at the girl next to her. "Could you please help me to dress myself? Just so I can be reminded myself of the routines. Maybe next time, such details won't slip out of my mind again."

"Sure!"

Calisto thought that she would have never again be as embarrassed as the time when she fell on her birthday party with that piece of cake on her head. She should have known back then that it wasn't going to be her last occasion to embarrass herself. Now as Gwen helped her dressing and put on all those stupid things on her, she felt embarrassed again. Like a small child who needed guidance. However Gwen had gentle hands and she even helped her tie her hair. When they finished, Calisto felt almost like a princess. She chose the blue dress and although there were a number of things under that dress, generally uncomfortable things, things would like to forget, she still felt somehow like a princess, probably like every girl with a long dress like that. She really belonged to those days now.

"You're ready." Gwen smiled at her gently again and Calisto felt the need to smile back.

"Thank you very much, Gwen. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Don't worry." The girl blushed again. "Now let's make you eat something. I am sure you're hungry."

"More than you can imagine." Calisto replied and she was ready to follow Gwen out the door when something struck her. Feeling ashamed of herself, Calisto grabbed Gwen's hand startling the girl. "Gwen, but I don't have any money. How will I ever repay Sir Gaius for what he did for me? I have nothing precious with me, not even some spare money."

"It's all right, Calisto." Gwen rested her other hand on Calisto's. "Prince Arthur was kind enough to tell Gaius that he will gladly pay for anything that you might need in case the things got worse. And he also asked Gaius to take good care of you."

"He really did such a thing?" Calisto mumbled this time stunned. She was expecting such a kind gesture from Merlin, but not from Arthur, especially after she said something so stupid abut Morgana.

"Yes, I know he might seem light-minded and not very kind, but he actually cares about people. Even though he doesn't show it." Gwen seemed to hesitate a little bit but then added thoughtful. "Sometimes I think that Merlin was the one that changed him like that, but then again Arthur is a man resistant to change. A good prince nonetheless."

"I understand. Thank you again for your words. And I will have to thank Prince Arthur too."

"It's all right. You'll have plenty of time." Gwen pulled gently Calisto who tried to get used with so much cloth around her legs. Even in the modern times, she had refused to wear too many skirts or dress and now she was positively flabbergasted by how much material was on her. Gwen descended charmingly the three stairs that led to a great and somehow round room and Calisto was about to follow, but since she wasn't very used with the dress and the weird leather shoes which seems like sandals but which actually resembled more to some slippers, she made a false step and tumbled down the three stairs with a muffled sound, gasping as her body felt the pain on her knees.

"I'm all right! I'm all right!" She cried and she stood on her feet in a matter of seconds under the surprised and yet somehow amused looks of Gwen and an old man, who most probably was Gaius.

"Dear Calisto, I barely managed to heal your wound. Try not to give yourself more of the kind." Gaius said quietly and she nodded blushing heavily.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to the stairs. You must be Sir Gaius." Calisto immediately bowed with such an utter lack of grace that she made Gwen chuckle and Gaius positively grinned at her. "Thank you very much for your kindness."

"Dear girl, I haven't been ever called Sir Gaius and I won't start now with you. You can simply use my name without a title. Many people call me simply Gaius."

"But you are the king's physician." Calisto mumbled reluctantly thinking that these people were too strange even for her. "I couldn't possibly be so impolite as not to-"

"-no more of this." Gaius stilled her with a wave of his hand and a smile. "I will be Gaius and that would be all."

"Thank you then, Gaius!" She stuttered while Gwen was already sitting down at the table.

"You're welcome. Now tell me how you feel. Does your head hurt?" He was switching to his doctor role and Calisto was glad.

"No, it doesn't." She slowly touched her bandage. "I was kind of expecting it, but I don't feel anything."

"Maybe just hunger." Gwen intervened and immediately Calisto blushed.

"Right, how silly of me! You must be famished! Come on! Sit, dear girl!"

"Thank you." Calisto repeated as she sat in front of a small plate made of clay. Gaius poured some water in a coppery goblet and gave it to her. She drank it and immediately felt how thirsty she must have been. There was some cheese on the table, bread and some meat which looked like smoked bacon but most probably wasn't. However it tasted good. She was famished so she thought she would better not ask questions and started to eat. They tasted really great and their flavour was nothing like she had tasted before.

"So, Calisto, tell me, why you were coming to Camelot?" Gaius asked politely but she guessed under his calm appearance that he truly wanted to find out more about her. She swallowed a piece of cheese before answering.

"I was on my way to Camelot to find a job, but I don't remember what happened and how I ended up in that forest." Calisto shuddered thinking what might have happened if Merlin hadn't found her.

"You don't seem like you've been a servant." He observed very pointedly. "You hands are quite soft and your nails are still intact."

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember what I did before arriving here." Calisto blushed under the heavy lie. "While some of the things are still clear to my head, others are blurred. I see them like they are surrounded by fog. They don't reveal themselves to me."

"I see." Gaius looked thoughtful at her. "It must have been the blow to your head. I'm assuming that this is just a temporary effect. I am sure you'll be able to remember everything soon."

"Thank you, I hope so too." Calisto's hand trembled as she picked a piece of that strange meat which seemed to have a similar taste with bacon and Gaius didn't ignore the gesture. She was afraid of something, or she was running from something. Again there was nothing in her person or in her clothes that showed her status. She didn't look rich but she didn't look poor either. Her features were fair and she looked almost always honest except when she was answering questions regarding her identity.

As Calisto and Gwen began to chat amicably, Gaius continued his observations. Merlin told him about the strange comments that she made when they found her in the woods, but what shocked him even more was her conviction that Merlin was a sorcerer, which made him question again her identity. It was better to keep an eye on her, although she looked even more lost than before. She didn't seem accustomed to her clothes so every now and then she pulled a little bit the material as if to make herself comfortable, or she would tug her collar. She was fidgeting. Gaius looked even more cautious at her. She was an enigma and he was going to solve it. In the mean time, she had to be kept around to see what actually made her say those words.

"So what kind of job are you looking for?" He asked amiably when a moment of silence had settled between the girls. They looked as if they were already becoming friends. Calisto frowned and said quickly.

"I'm not very good at something, but honestly I could be everything. I can work hard. Anything would be wonderful at this point. I don't deserve to fuss about it."

"Well, the king mentioned the other day that he needed more servants in the castle especially since a tournament approaches. Would you like that?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful." Calisto wasn't afraid of working hard. Her parents had taught her a long time ago that her hard work is necessary in order to obtain something. And in her case, right now, her life depended on it.

"Very well. Then I shall talk to Geoffrey, the master of the servants, and I will let you know what happened tonight." Gaius smiled again as Calisto felt grateful; however there was something more that bothered her and the good doctor noticed right away. "But there something else that troubles you, my child. What is it?"

"I'm terribly sorry to ask of you something like that, since you have already done so much for me, but I don't have any place to stay." Her voice sounded so pleadingly. "Could you please let me stay here?" She bowed her forehead, as if she could almost touch the table and both Gwen and Gaius looked surprised at her.

"I don't know, my child. You with two men in the house would be frowned upon by the people."

"Please, Gaius, I wouldn't ask you this if I wouldn't need this. And I know that I'm asking too much of you already but please, _please_, let me stay here. In my spare time, I will help you with everything you need: I will cook, I will wash your clothes, and I'll clean the rooms. Anything!"

"There's no need of begging, dear child! Of course you can stay here!" Calisto raised her eyes to the man in front of her with the most thankful look on her face and Gaius again felt the sincerity that she emanated. She really looked happy.

"Thank you, thank you. You won't be disappointed!"

Gaius just smiled again and made no reply. It was better like this after all: it was easy like this to keep an eye on her and at the same time, she might work as a restraint for Merlin to stop using his magic so haphazardly.

"He won't be disappointed of what?" The young male voice made all the three of them look just in time to see the young warlock looking happily at them.

"Calisto will be living with us and she seems almost too eager to please us."

"That's terrific!" The young man replied and came to join them to the table. "Maybe this will be doing the trick and you'll save me from Gaius' terrible cooking."

"I don't recall you resenting it when you stuff your mouth with it." Gaius' immediate reply made both Gwen and Calisto laugh. "And rather in an unpleasant manner too, if I might add. Besides, Calisto isn't obliged to cook for us."

"Oh, no, it's all right. I will be happy to do it. It will be the least I can do to repay your kindness." Calisto smiled to Merlin and he grinned back to her. "And thank you, Merlin, for finding me. Had it not been for you, I don't know what might have become of me in that forest."

"It's nothing." His mild voice sounded really gentle in her ears. "I'm glad we found you."

"By the way, Merlin, how come you're here now? Don't tell me that you ran from Arthur again?" Gwen asked in her tender voice and Calisto wondered if there was something between the two of them. She wouldn't have been surprised anymore.

"No, I finished the chores he gave me and came to see how Calisto was doing. Arthur is still in council with his father and some nobles about the future tournament. It seems like it would be something bigger than the one to which the coward Valiant participated too."

"Coward Valiant?" Calisto repeated this time munching her lip as she restrained herself from saying something stupid again.

"Yes, Valiant was a knight who used magic to cheat at the tournament and almost killed Arthur, but in the end the prince won." Gwen answered eagerly and Calisto made a mental note to stop blurting out things, because apparently things here were very different.

"So I still have time to stay a little bit with you." Merlin said quickly changing the subject as if he was afraid that Calisto might say something related to magic again. "By the way, how do you feel, Calisto?"

"I feel fine, thank you for asking."

"I will have to check your wound later." Gaius intervened. "And please tell me if you feel something strange. Usually the wounds on the head are some tricky ones."

"Yes, I will. Thank you."

"And stop saying _thank you_ for everything, dear child. You'll drive us insane." Calisto blushed and this time smiled to the doctor.

"I will try but I'm not promising anything."

"Stubborn one!" Gaius' words made them smile and before they knew it, they were chatting agreeably between them, while Calisto was paying attention to everything they said. Every thing was unusually fantastic for her and she felt as if she would belong there too.

After Gwen and Merlin went back to their jobs, Gaius checked her wound and declared himself content with how it was healing. He changed her bandage again, but not before putting again some ointment that smelled weird but it gave a cooling feeling. They also carried a cupboard in her room where she could put all her belongings, which of course weren't many and again Gaius was surprised by the whole matter. But he didn't said anything and Calisto proceeded to arrange her clothes while she let the magic book in the leather bundle and put it under the cupboard. She would see when she would need it.

While Gaius went to talk about her job, she cleaned the table and she dusted everything. It gave her time to observe the large room. It was filled with books: there were books even in the most unexpected places. Then there were medical potions and instruments that she didn't dare to touch for fear she might angry Gaius. There were wardrobes beautifully painted but which seemed really old. She was curious to see what was in them but her better judgment won: these people had been too kind with her and she would have felt horrible to ignore their trust in her. Merlin's room was as small as hers but she didn't dare to intrude in his room, so she just resumed her work to the main room and cleaned everything there was to be cleaned. There was also a small kitchen that seemed like it hadn't been used for sometime and she cleaned everything there too.

Gaius came back with the news that she would start her job the next day and Calisto thanked him with a fierce hug. The old man felt flustered at his age to be hugged like that by a young woman but he didn't let her see that. He was rather pleasantly surprised to see what she had done around the house and they both prepared the dinner while waiting for Merlin to come back home.

The first day had proved itself to be very exhausting and before she knew it, Calisto was back in her room, changing her clothes while mumbling curses to the one who made the women's clothes so damn complicated. She especially hated that loincloth which played the role of underwear. She cursed and cursed but before she knew what was going on, she was asleep.

Early the following morning, she found herself already washing the floors of the castle. It had been hard for her to wake up really early to dress herself (or torture herself, as she found very difficult to understand and remember how to wear all those complicated clothes) and then to have her wound checked before Gaius took her to Geoffrey, master of the servants. He explained to her that the first week would be a sort of a trial week. If she was found lazy or not doing her job very well, then she would be dismissed. If not, she was going to be a chamber maid because they needed her in that sort of position.

Calisto was most eager to begin and she knew that hard days were in front of her the moment she saw the long hard corridor of the royal chambers. She had to scrub it and then wash it, and after some time since she started, her hands were already red and filled with small cuts. The scrub was very difficult to handle as its teeth were made of some sort of metal. The wooden handle wasn't protecting her hands very well. In one wooden bucket she had cold water with some substance of a sort for the scrub, while in the other she had some water for the cloth with which she was expected to wipe everything. It wasn't helping the fact that many people were passing, constantly interrupting her.

She scrubbed fiercely as she mumbled curses towards Moira again. She had to do her best during this week. At least it was a very short period of time and she heard that being a chamber maid wasn't near as difficult as it was with scrubbing floors.

"Calisto? What are you doing?" The surprised voice made her shy away as she looked up just in time to see Arthur's look on her. The blue eyes were a mix of surprise, amusement and pride. Calisto steadied herself and looked grumpy at him.

"I'm working, your majesty!" Again his title sounded rather ironic in his ears and that made him frown a little bit.

"Since when do you work here?"

"Since today." She answered shortly and he followed his eyes as they gazed at her wounded hands. "It's difficult at the beginning, but I'm sure I will be used with it." She tried to smile although she was starting to feel really small since she was on her knees on the hard floor and he was standing straight with a royal air around him. Reluctantly, Calisto had to admit that Arthur was indeed of royal blood, because everything looked perfect on him, even though his clothes were not as bounteous as she had expected.

"And did you find a place to live?" He continued enquiring her and again she felt surprised by his interest in her.

"Yes, I will be staying with Gaius and Merlin, sire. They had a spare room for me." She drew herself back as a knight passed by them, bowing respectfully to Arthur and then carrying on away, disappearing on a small corridor on their right. The knight didn't even spare her a glance, but Arthur kept his eyes on Calisto.

"I see. And your wound?"

"It's all right. Gaius says it heals properly." She winced as she put her hands on the cold water taking out the cloth to wash the floor which she scrubbed so far.

"Very well. Carry on then!" He made a few steps and then turned back as he threw a mischievous glance to her. "You've missed a spot!" And with the tip of his boot he showed her a small point which made her full of fury within a second. Probably satisfied with what he saw on her face, Arthur turned his back on her and started to walk away. Calisto clenched her teeth, trying to calm herself but then before she knew what she was doing, she threw the dirty cloth towards Arthur but with a sticky sound, the cloth found Merlin's cheek as he just came from the other corridor. The cloth came down while Merlin's wide eyes looked at her in utter astonishment.

"Calisto?" he mumbled still wonder-struck as he took the cloth.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm so sorry!" She cried and she was on her feet in an instant. She went to him and wiped his cheek with her sleeve. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you coming. I was aiming towards someone else."

"It's all right, Calisto!" Merlin laughed in good-humour. "You took me by surprise, that's all. Are you-"

"Merlin, would you stop flirting with the other servants and come to do your job?" Arthur's cold voice made them both flinch and Calisto realized that he must have probably witnessed the entire scene. His cold blue eyes were looking at them as Merlin kept his hand on Calisto's hand. They looked guilty and immediately Calisto took her hand off Merlin.

"I'm coming, sire!" Merlin rolled his kind eyes to her and it made her giggle. "I'll see you tonight! Have an easy day!" He whispered only for her to hear and winked at her.

"You too!" Calisto giggled again as Merlin followed Arthur in a walk which seemed to imitate that of the prince but in an odd manner. She went back to her duty, feeling much better, but still cursing Arthur and she took revenge on him scrubbing the floor as she imagined it to be his face. Her grin was so evil that no one dared to disturb her as she continued to do her job. At least she wasn't getting bored. But alas, she didn't know what it waited her.

***

_A/N: I have realized only now that I haven't said that English is my second language, so I'm sorry for any grammatical or spelling mistakes that I might have done. I think I might have to find myself a beta-reader soon. Anyways, sorry. Next chapter – the adventures begin!_


	5. Four: Knights

A/N: Thank you very much to those who reviewed, but also to those who favourited/ alerted the story. I'm sorry for the late update but I have been on vacation. However now I'm back with a longer chapter and I want to make a small warning: I will have various characters from the Arthurian legends with which I will toy around. Just like in the TV series, some of them won't fit their general profile. So don't be surprised if they appear in a different light! Anyways, as always, I ask you humbly to please read and enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters or the story from the _Merlin_ series! They belong to the writers of the show!

**Four**

**Knights**

It was the last day of her training and Calisto felt a little happy because of it. It has been a difficult week and she wasn't used to so much work. She wondered briefly if there was any human being used to that amount of work. She let the sunlight caress her skin as she took a bucket of water to finally finish with the corridors for the day. She had been lucky because it was already noon and she hadn't met Prince Arthur yet. It was such a beautiful day. She liked living with Gaius and Merlin although she avoided like plague Merlin's personal questions or any for that matter which were related to magic. She thought it was better not to. Another side effect of her lengthened stay here was the confidence that she was going to have to adapt to this world. It seemed as if she was going to return in the real world just yet and she might actually be dead there for all she knew.

She took the first bucket and filled the second one. It wasn't so bad anyways. Most of the days she worked so hard that she didn't have time for any negative feelings or thoughts and she was completely lost in the routine that she had created for her and the rest of the men with whom she lived. She also enjoyed Gwen's company a lot and she had become quickly friends with her. She even met Lady Morgana once and she had been stunned by her beauty. She was generally content; yet she wondered what Sir Geoffrey might say about her efforts as there was only today. That night she was supposed to find out his decision.

She took the second bucket of water deep in her thoughts and was about to go back in the palace, when she hit a human wall. Actually it was the wall that knocked her, fast and with such a force that with a cracking noise filling the entire court, she stumbled back and hit the pavement while all the water around her splashed her and the wall that hit her. She closed her eyes due to the impact and she felt as if every bone of her body suddenly became alive. With _pain_. She remembered Gaius' warnings about how she should take are of herself and it took her a while to understand that she was being talked to.

"Hey, do you hear me? Are you all right?" The rumbling voice was no doubt belonging to the wall that knock her down and she opened her eyes instantly decided to give him a piece of her mind when the warmest brown eyes that she had even seen met her eyes with a look or worry. This was ironic. It was the second time within a week that she was falling hard to the ground and she wondered if she was going to have similar adventures every week.

"Can you at least watch where you walk?" She snapped at him feeling as if her palms were burning. When falling, she tried to stop it by anchoring her weight in the arms; not a very bright idea. "Not all of us are made of stones, sir." He looked again worried at her.

"I'm sorry. Are you all right?" His voice was gentle melting her contempt and anger.

"I'm fine." She mumbled and she took his stretched hand, rising herself from the ground. "And wet, apparently." She added dissatisfied as she took a look at her robes, half drenched in water.

"I'm sorry about that." He sounded genuinely apologetic and she looked up at him. He smiled. "I was in a hurry and I didn't see you until it was too late." Her eyes grew bigger and he looked surprised at her. "What is it?"

"It's nothing." She blushed. "It's just that if I'm not mistaken you are a knight of Camelot."

"Yes, and?"

"It's the first time that someone like you has talked so nicely to someone like me." Calisto muttered unprepared to meet his gaze once more and just played with the string around her waist.

"Oh, that means that you didn't live in Camelot for a long time. If you did, I'm sure that you would have discovered even nicer knights than me." She could guess a chuckle in his speech so she finally dared to look to him. He had such a kind face that for a moment she doubted that he was truly a knight, a warrior for that matter.

"I'm not sure about that." She finally answered feeling a little bit retarded. The knight smiled again. He was dressed simple and yet with the red mantle of the knights of Camelot. He was supposed to be on the training grounds. She was sure of that. Maybe he was late. Or maybe that annoying Arthur sent him to bring something. That prince thought that everybody was at his service.

"Well, I'm sorry for what I did to you, but I'm really in a hurry and I have to go. My name is Sir Lanval, by the way, and, in case you get in trouble, please, feel free to use my name as an excuse." He was about to leave when he turned around and looked at her enquiringly. "And you are?"

"My name is Calisto, Sir Lanval." Hmm, she liked the way her tongue rolled when she said his name. As if he read her mind, he beamed and said:

"It was a pleasure knowing you and I hope we shall meet again but under different circumstances. Perhaps, in drier ones, as well." She looked once more at him, this time seeing that he too was wet.

"Me too, Sir!" She smiled back and he was gone soon from her eyes. She sighed. Such a nice man! She took her empty buckets and started to fill them again, thinking about how she was going to explain to anyone her half wet robes. Not that anyone was going to notice that in a servant. Of course she was wrong because as soon as Prince Arthur saw her, when returning from his training, followed by Merlin, he laughed so hard, she confirmed inside her head that he was truly a royal _prat_, like Merlin had called him. His laughter still boomed around her as he entered in his rooms. However, ignoring him, Merlin asked concerned:

"Calisto, what has happened?"

"Nothing serious, Merlin! I will tell you tonight when we arrive home."

"I will wait for you then and walk you home. So you can tell me everything. That is unless you don't want me too."

"Of course I do, Merlin." She smiled fondly at him and when Arthur barked from his room for Merlin to stop wasting time with the clumsy servants, both Merlin and Calisto rolled their eyes and looked exasperated, but nonetheless the young warlock complied.

It was many hours and many tasks later that they met each other again to cross the court and go to the short street where their home was.

"I think I can feel every bone in my body." Calisto mumbled. The blue-eyed boy smiled with his usual kindness and understanding. It was a week later and Calisto had officially finished the training period.

"Did you at least get the job?" Merlin asked although he kind of knew since Gwen came radiating pure happiness to him and told him she had heard rumours that Sir Geoffrey was very satisfied with Calisto's work and that he was planning on making her one of the servants of Camelot.

"Yes." Calisto's voice was happy, although still thick with exhaustion. "I can't believe it myself. I mean, there I was scrubbing floors like I do every morning and there were still a lot of other things to do, and then next, Sir Geoffrey is standing next to me telling me that I have done a work I should be proud of and that starting tomorrow I will be chambermaid. And you know what the best part of it is?"

"What?" Merlin asked this time grinning amused by her enthusiastic face.

"The best thing is that I won't have to scrub floors anymore. And I won't hear Arthur telling me that he sees spots left out or anything else that his diabolical royal brain might think of." Calisto leaned closer to him in the dark of the streets and whispered. "I kept dreaming floors for almost a week now." Merlin felt her breath tickling his neckline and looked surprised at the girl whose form he could barely see in the dark. She had spent with them a week now and he still hasn't figured her out. He tried a lot of times to think of ways to make her open up to him and perhaps even discuss a little bit about magic, but Calisto avoided religiously any intimate question, even if it meant that she couldn't ask one in turns. So Merlin was a little puzzled by the girl. But other than that, he was really happy that he found her in the woods.

Gwen and Calisto became the best friends ever and although they could seldom meet due to different types of preoccupations, they would laugh and talk a lot about him or Prince Arthur or Lady Morgana's latest dress which was silly but couldn't be helped. Calisto was like a breeze of fresh air in their lives; Merlin had come to enjoy all those nights in which he would come home and would find both Gaius and Calisto chatting while waiting for him to eat dinner.

"Well, you finally got rid of scrubbing the floors. And I am sure that being a chambermaid would prove to be less adventurous." He smiled again in the dark and although she didn't see it, she could feel it in the magical air that seemed to surround Merlin. "By the way, you still have to tell me what happened today."

"Oh, right. Nothing big. When returning with the last buckets of water, I met Sir Lanval and collided with him. Needless to say we both ended up getting wet." She stifled a yawn and continued. "But he was very nice to me. He actually apologized although I was just a servant."

"Oh, that explains why he was like that when he returned to the training grounds." Merlin observed pensive. "Well, Sir Lanval is like that."

"Really?!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. She badly wanted to hear nice things about the man, although she didn't quite understand why.

"Yes, he is one of the few knights around Arthur that doesn't seem a pain in the ass like most of them are. And he seems to genuinely like Arthur and serve him out of loyalty not out obligation."

"He must be a saint then!" She added bitterly. "I really can't imagine someone who isn't annoyed by Arthur."

"The Prince has his moments." Merlin replied. "But it's true that he considers showing kindness or generosity a weakness."

"It figures." They walked a little bit more in silence although Calisto really wanted to ask Merlin more about Sir Lanval.

"By the way, what do you want for dinner?" He asked her quietly, holding her forearm a little bit as they passed by a guard who looked strangely at them. He wouldn't have dared to do anything but Merlin nonetheless wanted to be on the safe side. She leaned again a little closer to him and Merlin could have sworn for a moment that she smelt like wild flowers. It was almost intoxicating, especially since she seemed quite oblivious about the effect that she had upon the others. Correction. Upon _him_.

"Nothing special. As long as I won't have to cook for it. I am just too tired tonight event to chew." She replied as they finally made it to their home. Merlin opened the door to let her pass and they were welcomed by a smiling Gaius who embraced Calisto immediately.

"Sir Geoffrey told me your deeds. He's very pleased with your person. He told me that he never had such an eager person to become a servant." Gaius said not without a good sense of irony as well. He made them sit down as tonight the dinner was already served. There was some cheese and bread and some apple pie for desert. Calisto doubted as to whether she would be able to eat even that.

"Thank you, Gaius. I tried to do my best. I didn't want to let you down, because you have been so kind to me." She confessed as she finally decided that some piece of bread would satisfy her.

"Nonsense. You could never disappoint me."

"You just want to have more excuses to have her hugged." Merlin stepped in the conversation and Gaius glared at him almost instantly.

"For a smart boy, _Merlin_, you do say some of the most idiotic things I have ever heard." The good doctor replied back as Calisto just laughed. She was grateful to whoever she was supposed to be grateful for meeting the two of them. She never thought that she could be so happy with so simple things.

"So when do you start, my child?" Gaius' words made her snap back to reality.

"He told me that I will have to start immediately and get used to the things I must do really quickly before the tournament starts." Calisto pushed the food away from her. Like she thought, she was too damn tired by everything. "However there was one thing I didn't quite understand, Gaius."

"What was that, my dear?"

"Well, I was wondering: since every knight has his own manservant who does the main jobs already, what will be the need of so many chambermaids?"

"Mostly because the menservants will be preoccupied by other things, like attending to his master's basic needs when in a tournament: taking care of wounds, making sure that the armour and the weaponry is generally well polished, sneaking to get information about the other rivals. A tournament is every knight's chance to prove to the others his strength and his worth."

"Or their snobbery." Merlin added with his mouth full, gaining another disapproving look from Gaius.

"Yes, some of them are a little bit too keen in assessing their rights from birth, but nonetheless the elite of knighthood will participate and since they are all sons of nobles, they expect the highest possible treatment and I don't mean lodgings only. This is no ordinary tournament."

"Why is it so special?" Calisto asked this time choosing to nib on an apple. "From what I gathered, the knights use long sticks to poke their heads with, while the ladies admire them falling of their horses. I don't see anything special in that."

"Clearly you haven't been to any tournament." Merlin said enthusiastically, eyeing another piece of cheese. "It's true that it seems silly at a first glance, but it all becomes quite intriguing in the end."

"Hm, strange! I wouldn't have said that you are a fan of tournaments." She looked at him surprised while his face got a little flushed.

"I used to think about them like this too, until I participated to the one where Valiant came. I liked the energy of it and Arthur fought really well. It's nice to see them all in their shiny armours, defending their pride, in the shouts of the crowd and in the admiration of the ladies. I'm no warrior, but I really liked that."

"It sounds… _interesting_, but like you said, I haven't been to one. It's not like I had the possibility." She replied looking a little bit embarrassed.

"It's all right, Calisto." Gaius smiled kindly at her. "Merlin brags here because he is Arthur's manservant for quite some time now and he thinks that he has seen it all. But this tournament, the _Tournament of the Three Roses_, is very different. It is held only every four years and there are three different types of competitions within it."

"How come I have never heard of it before?" Merlin interrupted Gaius again but the good doctor didn't seem to mind. He was already used with such behaviour.

"Because you never asked, that's why." Gaius smiled to Calisto and continued. "This tournament has three different competitions and all knights must participate to all three of them whether they are good or not. The first one is that of the sword fight; then it is the bow and arrow one and the last one, which is the most difficult, is asking the participants to use their ingenuity in solving the puzzles and unraveling the clues which usually lead them to a prize in money."

"This last one sounds the most interesting out of all of them."

"Yes, it's true, mainly because not many finish it." Gaius smiled as she finished her apple. "Only four knights out of the entire Camelot will participate to this tournament."

"Only four?!"

"Yes and, to tell you the truth, it's a huge number."

"And who are they, Gaius?"

"Your master, Prince Arthur, Sir Lanval, Sir Gawain and Sir Palamedes."

"Sir Palamedes the Saracen?"

"Yes, why? Do you have something against him?"

"No, actually I have seen him fighting on the training grounds with the others." Merlin beamed. "He is very good. I can't wait to see how he will behave in the tournament."

"On the other hand, I am happy to hear about Sir Lanval." Calisto said with a smile on her tired face and it was Gaius' turn to look at her surprised.

"Do you know Sir Lanval?"

"I got acquainted with him today. He seems like a brave and kind man. I am sure he will make a nice figure."

"Let's hope so, because only thirty-two knights will participate and a heavy burden lies on their shoulders."

Calisto yawned over again, this time not hiding her exhaustion.

"I will go to bed now. I am beyond tired and tomorrow I will face new duties." She kissed Gaius gently on the cheek and ruffled Merlin's hair. "Good night and swet dreams!"

"You too, my child!"

"Sweet dreams, Calisto!"

The girl went to her room and she barely had energy to take her robes off before changing into her nightgown and positively collapse on her bed. She was asleep almost instantly.

Calisto groaned in despair the next morning when she finally understood that from that moment on she was expected to get up much earlier than she had hoped. She barely had time to wash a little bit and dress in the white robes of the chambermaids before she was summoned into Sir Geoffrey's quarters together with other girls, being instructed on how to serve best and even more important the appropriate behaviour that it is expected from them, now that they served in the palace.

"And remember, this is the most important rule for your safety." Sir Geoffrey's black eyes pinned them to the ground as he took a deep look in each and every girl's eyes. "I know that you all have romantic notions about how knights behave. Indeed most of them are worthy of such a name and behave accordingly. Others, however, may like to play a little game with you, ladies. I strongly advise you not to fall in love or establish a relationship with any knight other than the appropriate master and servant relation. Whatever they might tell you, trust me when I warn you that there are all lies. No nobleman will marry a servant, that's for sure. And not only will you be cast away by your lover, but you will also be fired from your work with no payment for the period you have worked. Is that understood?" He looked hard at them as some of them blushed while others snickered.

Calisto fell confused about the whole matter. In spite of the fact that Sir Geoffrey told them on such a harsh voice the reality, he seemed concerned with what might happen to them. Briefly she wondered whether menservants should after all be employed for the knights. There were certainly many girls there who would love nothing more than to become a lady. As if such dreams could actually become a reality.

"Yes, sir!" They all murmured although not all of them so convinced. Sir Geoffrey just shook his head in disagreement knowing full well that he would have to fire some of them in the near future whether he liked it or not.

"Very well, then. You know already your tasks. Each and every one of you will be responsible for a fixed number of chambers. In case that someone complains of you, we should be able to track the guilty one quite easily. I expect you do our job the best way possible and please, remember that after all, it is an honour to serve at Camelot's court. Now as I call for your name, please make a step forward and I shall give you the particular instructions for the chambers that you will be held responsible for."

Calisto rolled her eyes. The process took long enough and by the time it was her turn to receive the instructions she was already bored to death and fidgeting. She took some time to look at Sir Geoffrey who would be responsible for her as well. He was quite an old man who still had much to offer. She could guess his grey hair under the strange hat that he was wearing. A grey beard covered his face and his eyes were small and black with a strange glitter in them. He wore the red robes, so easily associated with Camelot. However she paid close attention to what he was saying because she knew that the hard work was just about to begin.

It was almost noon when they finally started to move around the chambers that they were assigned to with certain shyness that even the bolder ones were feeling it. It was strange for Calisto to walk on the corridors which she scrubbed just the other day. Every time she was seeing someone doing her last job, she felt the impossible need to get down on her knees and help the poor soul, knowing how hard had to be all.

The first room that she had to attend to was that of the knight about whom she had been informed he was already on the training grounds. She forgot his name but she shrugged off the uneasy feeling that maybe she should have paid more attention to it. She knocked slowly on the door and when nobody answered she got in the room. In spite of the shock of finding it as if it suffered an attack of mess and rubbish, she liked the room a lot. The huge windows guided the light inside the room, making it very sunny and welcoming. The huge bed was between them and a chimney was on one side of the room. On the opposite side there were cupboards and trunks with golden locks and painted scenes form who knows what legends. There was a table in front of the bed with pieces of half eaten food and some wine. There was a strange untidiness governing over the entire room, strange in the sense that it made Calisto liking the place. It was far more welcoming than she had expected.

She looked around strangely amused by the whole scene, but she felt she didn't have time to lose. She went to open a window and started to take the dirty sheets off the bed. She would have to wash them later and she would have liked to get started while there was still some light on the sky. She was about to turn with some clean sheets on her hands when the other door opened and a tall and muscular man dressed only in breeches entered the room looking surprised at Calisto.

"Oh, _God_!" She exclaimed blushing heavily because in spite of the modern age of her time she was still a girl after all.

"Actually it's Gawain, well, Sir Gawain to you!" He replied clearly amused by her reaction.

"Would you put some clothes on?" She yelled back, ignoring his name and whirling furiously towards the bed, trying hard not to think about what she just so. Those flimsy breeches hardly covered the man.

"Why are you so shy?" His throaty voice made her shiver unpleasantly.

"I don't know! Probably because you were _naked_ in front of me!!!" She replied angrily while starting to arrange the clean sheets on the bed, doing her job while she could still feel his presence in her back.

"How interesting! Am I to understand that you have never seen a naked man before?"

"Why do you ask that as if it's a common thing? Do naked men walk on the streets everyday?" She finally dared to look at him as she finished her job. Her fiery eyes made him appear even more amused and that actually annoyed her even more.

"You know, for a maid, you have a pretty feisty spirit." He said with a crooked smile and he finally decided to put a shirt on.

"And for a knight, you are awfully annoying." She bit back, allowing herself to erase the social difference between the two of them. He frowned looking at her like she shouldn't have said anything. There was a distinct air of nobility around him and yet he gave the impression to be quite too mature for acting like a teenager in hormones. She remembered Merlin's words about some of the knights' snobbery. It clearly befitted Gawain.

"And I see you have a poisonous tongue as well, _maid_." He emphasized her title so as to make sure that she knew on which stair of the social scale she stood. Unfortunately for him, her modern mentality was much too profound within her thought and she wasn't going to let him do all the talking. She looked at the dirty sheets and left them by the door while starting to clean the table.

"I know, _Sir Gawain_, it has been said to me before." She rolled her eyes while taking the dirty cups and looking at the waste of food that was there. She would take the rest of the food and give it to the poor of the city if she was allowed. "But aren't you supposed to be all kind and noble? And decent, for that matter?" She looked again at him and his green eyes looked back enquiringly.

"Whatever do you mean?" He asked ironically leaning on the wall, looking at her clearly amused. He probably never had a conversation with a maid before her.

"Well, aren't you Sir Gawain, who fought against the Green Knight, who should be kind to the poor and gentle and full of courtesy towards the ladies, no matter their ranks?" She babbled, while wiping the table with a cloth, arranging then the silver platters in the middle of the table. She smiled almost unconsciously as she looked around to see what she could do next when she felt his eyes still lingering on her.

"Green Knight?!" He finally said. "I've never fought against someone like that in my life. But as for the rest, you are actually quite right." She looked mockingly to him.

"If I was right, then, Sir, you should have already been on the training grounds, like I had been informed." She took the rest of his dirty clothes and put them with the rest of the sheets in a small basket that she brought with her. He seemed taken aback by her comment and his next question only confused her even more.

"What time is it, maid?"

"Noon, Sir!" The moment he heard her answer, he paled and looked more than surprised. He disappeared almost instantly in the other room and now Calisto was starting to think that maybe it wasn't good to know what's in the other room anyways. She smirked then thinking that the knight has drunk too much wine just the other night. She knew that Arthur hated for his knights to be late, especially the ones who were important. And since Gawain participated to the _Tournament of the Three Roses_, he was important. She wished she could see how his smug smile would disappear from his face as he would get scolded by Arthur. For once, she actually adored Arthur. She chuckled mischievously as he got back from the other room this time fully dressed and with his armour in his hand.

"Help me!" He ordered her and she paled.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know how to do it! I've never helped someone with the armour before!"

"Come on! It's easy! I'll tell you what to do and you just follow my lead!"

"Sir, wouldn't be better just to go and call your manservant? I'll go as fast as I can!" She continued to step back, swallowing hard.

"That won't be necessary! I fired his lazy ass yesterday! Now come!" Gawain replied with a wince and Calisto thought that he didn't seem sure that he has done a good thing. She reluctantly approached him. Suddenly, with a much gentler voice, he started to explain what to do and how to tie the different bits of armour on his chest and shoulder. Calisto was actually pleasantly surprised that she was able to do everything without to much effort and when she finished she looked at him smiling and feeling proud of herself. What was even stranger was that Sir Gawain smiled back as honest as she did.

"Thank you! You see? It wasn't that difficult." He took his leather gloves and his sword and was about to walk out of the room when he turned back smiling this time a little more deviously. "It will be nice to have you around, maid! I'm sure I won't get bored with you!" She bit the inside of her cheeks as she didn't want to reply cheekily again. It had been enough for one day.

The rest of the day went by swiftly because there were many things to do: she had washed some of the sheets before she was informed by Sir Geoffrey that it was the task of other servants to accomplish. He showed her how to separate the laundry for each room she tended and how to announce when she needed them. He was very patient in spite of his snappy voice and Calisto truly appreciated his help. He also reminded her that some of the chores that she kept doing were for the other servants. It seemed like not much was remained for her to do, but she didn't complain. After working so hard for a week, a bit of vacation was welcomed.

But since Sir Gawain didn't have a manservant anymore, she had to serve him the dinner as well, after she heard that he had indeed been scolded by Arthur. She couldn't wait to hear it from Merlin. She couldn't wait to go home.

"Pass me that plate, maid!" He said again with his master tone and Calisto rolled her eyes as she did his bidding. Another ten minutes of peace before she heard him again. "Take this, maid! I don't need it anymore!"

"It's Calisto, not maid!" She snapped back again unable to hold her tongue. He looked surprised at her while she had started to put all the plates on the silver tray, cleaning the mess that the barbarian had made. Really, where were the manners that he was supposed to have?

"Calisto, Malisto!" He barked back. "Who cares?! You'll be gone in a week. Why do I have to bother remembering the names of insignificant servants anyways?"

"Because they serve shallow-brained people like you!" She replied furiously at him, knowing full well that this was not the appropriate manner in which she had to address him and most likely she would be fired if he would say anything but he still seemed puzzled by her and her fire because she wouldn't let him knock her down.

"Did you just insult me?" He asked with a tired air around him, but clearly interested in the answer which came quickly back.

"I think I did, Sir!" Why was his title sounding so sarcastic in her mouth? He observed her. She was a plain girl, there was nothing extraordinary about her and yet here she was, mocking him and generally responding to his insults with undeniable courage.

"There's something about you, Calisto that I don't quite understand!" He finally muttered resting on the back seat.

"It's my stubbornness, Sir! In spite of the impression that I give you, I really want to spend here more than one week!" She answered truthfully and he understood that she was being honest. It was a long time since the last time somebody below him had dared to face him like that but Gawain wasn't as vain as people thought about him. He really liked being challenged and this maid was definitely a challenge.

Maybe it wasn't his day today. Getting up so late after drinking a lot, being seen half naked by a prude maid, scolded by Arthur who then tortured him the rest of the training time and then constrained him to participate to that boring council in his place; finally coming to his rooms and realizing that he would have to ask Sir Geoffrey for a new manservant. _Again_. It had just not been his day. He looked all over again at Calisto as she left only a cup and two decanters on the table: one with ale, the other one with water. The girl clearly wasn't very subtle but she didn't say anything letting him decide what he would do. She looked expectantly at him.

"If you finished, you may go! And ask Sir Geoffrey to come to my rooms tonight if possible!"

"Yes, Sir! Good night!" She greeted him with a relieved look on her face.

"Good night…Calisto!" She gave him a small smile and she got out of the room, returning to the kitchens of the castle where more plates were brought back to be washed and then sued to serve the next day. As she bid good night to the other servants as well, she got out in the chilly air of the night admiring the many stars that were on the sky.

Thoughtful she glanced around her. It was pretty late, but there were more torches on the streets than the usual. She hesitated. She didn't want to go home alone. She was just wondering whether she should wait for Merlin when she suddenly saw the man walking briskly towards the other side of the castle. She tried to call him but he seemed deep within thought. She made a step towards him when a profound and weighty voice resounded in her mind.

"_Merlin_!"

She froze on the spot. She looked confused around her, but there was no one other than the guards and she really doubted that they had any interest in the man.

"_Merlin_!"

That voice filled the air around her, filling with sparks of energy that she never felt before. Within a moment, she felt a strange pull towards where Merlin had just disappeared and she decided to follow that pull. Maybe he was in danger and he needed her help. Or maybe the voice was trying to communicate something. Either way, she felt that it was best to follow him. She quickly ran towards the long corridor that went deeper and deeper underground. The torches were scarce and in the end she decided to take one to light her way in case she would ran out of light. Naturally she was right soon enough when she found a ragged half-opened door on a desolate corridor. She opened it a little more and although she couldn't see any light, she heard Merlin's footsteps so she decided to go down those steep stairs.

She closed the door behind her and followed the footsteps in the dark with her small torch. The dark wasn't as frightening as she thought it would; on the contrary she felt quite brave and strong. A weird sense of adventure was born within her, yet she couldn't stop thinking about the strange pull that was guiding her on those stairs. She had just a few more when she saw the end of them and Merlin facing a big cave. There was that voice again. Only this time it didn't seem so far away. On the contrary it was quite close and it looked as if it was having a conversation with the man.

Unexpectedly Merlin turned towards her with his eyes showing a fear and puzzlement that she had seen only one brief moment before, back in the woods, when she thought he was a sorcerer.

"Calisto, what are you doing here?" He questioned her and wanted to stop her from going any further when that strange voice stopped him.

"Enough, Merlin! Don't push away your only ally!"

Calisto swallowed hard and looked disturbed to Merlin when suddenly in her sight emerged the one mythical creature that she never expected to see. There was a huge dragon in front of her and Merlin's, with a heavy chain connected to one of his legs. He was trapped and she felt sorry for him almost instantly.

"Welcome, Calisto Finn! Moira mentioned you might make an appearance!"


	6. Five: Ally

_A/N: Thank you so much to those who reviewed, but also to those who favourited/ alerted this story and a sincere apologies to all my readers for updating so late. Hopefully I will be able to pick up a fairly normal pace of updating soon enough. In the mean time, I ask you humbly, please, read and enjoy!_

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters or the story from the _Merlin_ series! They belong to the writers of the show!

**Five**

**Ally**

"Welcome, Calisto Finn! Moira mentioned you might make an appearance!"

"She did, didn't she?" Calisto mumbled back remembering the woman that had caused her predicament, but it certainly didn't diminish at all the effect that the dragon had upon her. It was huge; she might have wanted to compare it to an immense lizard, but she didn't have any terms of comparison. His skin glowed in the semi-dark of the drafty and cold cave. His brownish skin enwrapped some powerful muscles which didn't seem to lose their flexibility in spite of him being forbidden to leave the cave. His eyes were penetrating and his voice was astounding, as if it boomed and echoed in the whole cave surrounding them and made them feel, well, at least her, very small.

"Just who exactly are you?" Merlin asked suddenly, his usual kind voice sounding actually harsh, and Calisto didn't like the look that he had upon his face. Suddenly she became suspicious in his mind and his eyes were pouring with mistrust and confusion. His usual open heart was now shutting down before her eyes and she truly felt helpless.

"She's from the future." The Dragon answered instead of her and both of them looked surprised at him. "She was punished to go back in time for her crime." He added somehow curious to see her reaction. His eyes were pinning her to the ground as if he was trying to read into her very soul and she felt uncomfortable.

"Crime? What did she do?" Merlin asked anxiously as if he was expecting the worst coming from her. Where was the friendship that existed between the two of them just moments ago?

"Yes, that is an interesting question." The dragon snickered. "What exactly did you do, Calisto?"

"Something so stupid, it doesn't even deserve to be mentioned." She sighed and looked dignified at the dragon. "If Moira told you about my upcoming arrival, then she might have mentioned to you a way for me to get out of here. That is if I ever get out of here and if I'm not dead in the real world already."

"Hmm, aren't you a tough one? I was expecting a little more cowering fear and a little less smugness from you." The dragon stood up and flew a little bit, leaving Merlin and Calisto in the cold silence, a silence shuttered only by the terrible noise of the dragon's shackles. Merlin finally looked at her again with the same mistrusting eyes and Calisto felt angry at it. Shouldn't real friendship mean more trust and less suspicion? But then again she met Merlin just a week ago in suspicious circumstances and he didn't actually deserve her judgment. Just not yet anyways.

"Stop looking at me like that, Merlin! I didn't do anything wrong to anyone." She snapped at him looking like a furious cat and she felt like one. This day was so overwhelming that she just wanted to go to sleep.

"Then how come you have been punished?" He questioned her trying to see everything within her soul. She looked back at him poised and unaware of his tense stance.

"I thought that the world was better off without me, all right? That was my stupid crime!" She yelled and the dragon finally settled on the rock again looking curiously at both of them. "I really don't understand what this has anything to do with me traveling in time and be around here, what good might come of it, but I'm here and I'm not bad and I haven't done anything wrong, so would you please stop looking at me like that?" By the time she has finished her speech, her voice was raised in high pitch and she shivered. The dragon shook his head, drawing the attention upon him.

"If you think like this, Calisto Finn, then I'm afraid that you will have a long road ahead of you, because you won't be leaving from here anytime soon."

"And why is that exactly?" Her defiant voice didn't escape to both Merlin and the dragon.

"Such an impudent child!" The dragon exclaimed and stood taller than before. "Everyone has a destiny, little girl. For instance, Merlin's here is to protect Prince Arthur and help him become the king that he is destined to be. With your stupid thoughts, you changed the course of your destiny. You thought selfishly. You thought only to yourself."

"No, I didn't!" She tried to defend herself. "I thought-"

"Silence!" The dragon roared and for a brief moment the cave was filled with the cowering fear that he mentioned before. "Do you not hear yourself?! The one who chooses such an easy path deserves the punishment. If I had been Moira, your punishment would have been a lot worse than you received. The insolence of considering yourself an isolated island that doesn't affect anything and anyone is beyond selfish. It's a cursed thing and you deserved worse."

The dragon settled back again and looked disdainfully at her. "Every man affects the lives of the others, whether one likes it or not. Your destinies are connected and they are full of possibilities as long as you understand these effects that you have upon the others. The sheer selfishness of your thoughts is beyond pathetic. Now, I did not bring Merlin here just to let him see me giving lessons to a silly girl."

"Then why was I summoned?" Merlin asked in his kind and yet determined voice, looking as if the scenes before didn't take place and Calisto felt strangely grateful for it. At the moment she felt far too embarrassed to think straight and knowing that her secret was out and that a discussion would surely ensue, she really didn't feel at ease at the moment.

"Before the upcoming tournament, there will be a small predicament that might put Arthur's life in danger. Watch the close ones to him and you will understand soon enough!"

"Can't you be more specific? I don't understand why you won't explain everything clearly to me."

"Like I said before, what good would it do? My mission here is not to make things easier for you, but to guide you. The rest is up to you." The dragon seemed in an acrimonious mood that night and Merlin sighed heavily. Was his life ever going to be nice and calm? "Oh, and Calisto will help you with this mission." His attention went back to the girl. "I believe that two different books have been placed within your grasp?"

"Yes, one containing blank pages and one containing information about the magical world." Calisto answered immediately knowing full well that he wasn't ignorant about the situation.

"Very well. The one with the information will be useful starting with the new predicament that you have. Use it wisely. The other one is for keeping safely at the moment. Its importance will be later on revealed."

"I see." She mumbled rolling her eyes because she really didn't understand much and the concealed words were definitely something she didn't enjoy; however the dragon didn't seem in the mood to give her straight answers. To her or to Merlin, for that matter. She wondered how Merlin could stand him and she made a note to herself to ask him that later.

"Well, be on your way now! And take care of Prince Arthur with your own lives!"

Calisto thought for a moment that the prince didn't deserve such sacrifice but her stupid thoughts were the ones that put her in the first place in this position so she just sighed and followed Merlin outside the cave. The boy's shoulders were slumped a little bit. He waited for her to close the door and then finally looked at her again. This time he appeared to be open towards her again and Calisto couldn't help but be relieved. She really cared about Merlin and his opinion towards her so she wanted to make things better between the two of them again.

"So you're coming from the future." He said quietly as they stepped out of the castle again, their steps resounding on the hard pavement. The cool night's air surrounded them within an instant, making Calisto shiver.

"Yes." She answered looking a little melancholically at the starry sky above them. The stars shone deeply in the darkness of the world and she felt strangely put out by the fact that she couldn't see the red lights of a passing plane, a clear sign of her home. She looked back to earth, where thick walls illuminated by torches surrounded her and every now and then soldiers would stay and talk in whispers, or a nightly shadow would pass by: some servants just like them, heading back for their houses, others were still working, covered by dark and she asked herself briefly what kind of work they were doing.

She was walking slowly next to Merlin, their arms brushing every once in a while, and his heat gave her a nice warming feeling. Her melancholy was drowned in the reality of the strange times in which she now lived in. The guards didn't even give them a look as they passed them by.

"How is it?" Merlin's nice voice interrupted the silence and she finally looked at him a little bit confused.

"How's what?"

"You know! The future!" He exclaimed all enthusiastic about it as a child before opening a present and Calisto couldn't help feeling a little bit amused by the man's reaction.

"The same, only with some utilities that definitely make our life much easier." She thought with envy to toilette paper and decided that if she ever got back, she would always treasure that. That and panties. Definitely panties.

"Does Arthur become a great king?" His eagerness made her smile a little and look fondly at him.

"Yes, he does. And you are remembered as a great magician." She added looking at him mischievously, making sure that he understood that she had already known about his magic and he shouldn't have hidden that from her. Furthermore there was no need in telling him that the history wasn't remembering them as much as the legends. He smiled reluctantly back at her.

"So this is why you told those weird things that day when we found you." His kind face was lit up with a new light as if he had discovered something new and interesting. "This is how you knew that I was a magician and that Arthur was the one to accompany me."

"Yes, but don't get too excited." Her smile faded away and Merlin looked concerned at her. "The things aren't exactly like I remember them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, some of the things are changed. Like for instance Morgana has been remembered as a bad witch with a horrible reputation. And Gwen wasn't a servant, and Gawain was kind and pure at heart and he wasn't supposed to exist yet." She sighed heavily. "Most of the things aren't as I remembered them."

"I understand." Merlin smiled again at her and made her stop before climbing the stairs to Gaius's quarters. "In spite of the fact that this is all rather amazing and I'm still not sure about the whole matter, I must say I am really happy that we found you, Calisto."

"You are still happy?" Her astonishment made him almost grin back at her.

"Yes, I am." Merlin sighed almost relieved. "I have always wanted for someone else to know about my powers, to appreciate my skills, to get this secret off my chest. It seemed impossible but now I have you and that is more than I could have hoped for."

"Really?" Her face definitely lit up and Merlin smiled seeing how relieved she was upon hearing his words.

"Really! In case you haven't noticed, very few people know about my powers. That's actually just Gaius and my mom; and now you. And I'm happy that someone can appreciate my skills, without me fretting over what you might think of me, knowing that I am a warlock."

"I actually think that you have a great gift, although I have never seen magic in my life. Or dragons for that matter." Calisto took a deep breath. "By the way, what are we going to tell Gaius?"

"Nothing at the moment. I think it's better if he doesn't know much about your origins. You might not escape from medical questions."

"Yes, I think you're right." She smiled faintly again and finally walked in the house where Gaius was already waiting for them with the dinner. Calisto beamed, kissed him on the cheek and sat down, looking rather pleased with her.

Gaius noticed almost immediately the new complicity which settled between Merlin and Calisto as the youngsters served their dinner. He questioned the reason behind it for a short period and then he thought that he didn't have to necessarily know it. He let them chat during dinner and then sent them to sleep so he could think clearly over the whole situation.

Gaius knew deep down inside of him that Merlin needed a friend. It wasn't the fact that Gwen or even the mighty Arthur weren't, because Gaius was sure that both of them were capable of many things for Merlin. But on the other hand they ignored that Merlin had special powers. And he knew for sure that this was something that infuriated Merlin sometimes. He wanted to be open about who he was but that couldn't be possible unless he would fall in a grave peril, especially with Uther constantly searching for magic in all its forms.

However tonight something told Gaius that this was no longer the case with Calisto, that she knew something more. Whether it was Merlin's choice to reveal everything to her or she discovered it by accident, it was clear that a new confidence and bond was settled between the two of them. Gaius felt pleased with this although still a bit reluctant. He would have liked to know more about Calisto's past, about the mystery that shrouded everything related to her. The more he wanted it, the more he knew he shouldn't.

He turned in his bed and finally blew the light of the candle. He would have to think later to something, to make Merlin tell him what has happened. For now however he was more than satisfied to just be the man in the shadows that was watching over the two of them, because both Merlin and Calisto had an innocence that needed to be protected.

The next day, Calisto found herself buried in work and she wondered briefly if this was how her life was meant to be from now on. She was still clumsy with the clothes and she craved to wonder around, to see everything about the castle. Now that at least Merlin knew the truth about her, she definitely felt more relieved and even the menacing words of the dragon couldn't cloud her happiness. She smiled dreamily as she started to clean the room. It was really nice to be relieved of such a burden and Merlin with his kindness and his wonderful helpfulness and new trust was far more than she deserved.

It was almost noon when she wondered through Camelot's castle in search of Gawain's room hoping with all her strength that he wouldn't be there. She desperately needed to be away from that obnoxious knight, especially since the events from last night were still playing in her mind. She sighed heavily, hoping that someone out there was listening to her.

"Don't sigh like this, Calisto! It is said that a year of your life is taken when you sigh." Startled she almost twirled around just in time to see sir Lanval smiling at her with his kind eyes. She couldn't stop herself smiling back.

"Sir Lanval! How are you?" She said right away without taking into consideration that this might not have been the most appropriate manner to address a knight of Camelot and a nobleman as well. But if he noticed or got bothered, he didn't say anything and let his smile covering his full lips.

"I was almost expecting to get a cold due to the water that you have drowned me in, but apparently I am as good as new. Like always."

"I apologize once again, sir Lanval! I didn't mean-"

"It's alright, Calisto! I was just playing the jester with you!" He grinned this time and she couldn't stop grinning back. Only then did she notice that he was soaked in sweat and that he had his training gear on him. Most likely the sparing time was over and Arthur decided it was time to give them a break.

"Have you finished your work for today, sire?"

"Yes, Prince Arthur finally sent us to rest after working us hard today." He ran his long fingers through his wet almost bronze hair and smiled again. "But a little bit of exercise doesn't hurt anyone, does it?"

"I believe so." She paid more attention to him now, the way he was carrying that armour like it was nothing, the way his chocolate eyes were constantly gleaming with a small playful light and especially the way he was smiling to her, with kindness and interest. Calisto really liked the man because he was definitely different from the other knights that she had encountered. And especially different from Gawain.

"I heard that you are going to be one of the few knights to participate at the next tournament."

"Yes, I will." He didn't seem to notice how she started to pay closer attention to him. "I think this is why Prince Arthur took more time today in training and sparing than he usually does."

"He wants you to be the best, I guess."

"I think he wants us to bring honour to Camelot and this is what we must do, because it is a very great sign of nobility to be serving Camelot like this." He beamed again. "What about you? How are you adjusting yourself to the castle?"

"It's very difficult." She sighed. "I'm still learning the position of the chambers and what exactly are my responsibilities. Yesterday I was doing too much; today I hope I'll just do what I am supposed to do."

"That means no drenching anyone in cold water?" He joked and she blushed again as he reminded her incident again. Apparently he liked to tease her.

"I think one knight a week should be enough for me, sire."

"That's good to know. Well, then I must leave you and get back to my duties. Unfortunately this day is far from being over."

"Then I bid you good luck in your endeavors."

"Thank you, Calisto; I hope you have an uneventful day." He smiled again and then before she even blinked, he was gone. Calisto smiled a little lost in her own thoughts about how kind Sir Lanval was and how he didn't seem to care that she was just a servant.

A stupid smile on her lips and three flights of steps later and she entered in Gawain's room, oblivious of the shouting voices that were heard from the other chamber. It didn't take long though to hear them and she cringed because she knew that no matter what she was going to do, she was doomed anyways. If she remained there, then probably the awful knight and most likely the prince were going to discover her; if she left, she wouldn't look good because she hadn't finished her job. Damn it! No matter how much she thought of a solution, she couldn't find one. In the end she decided to just ignore her instinct telling her to run as fast as she could from there and started to clean up the table which looked terrible. Apparently Sir Geoffrey hadn't found a manservant for sir Gawain.

"It's not that you're not doing your duty with honour and pride anymore," Prince Arthur yelled and she winced, "it's that you don't seem to care about anything anymore, Gawain. You're always late for training, you change your menservants more often than you change your socks and on top of it all, you're always drinking. The tournament is about to come soon and we must bring honour to Camelot. What kind of honour will you bring if you're always in this constant mess?"

"That's all you care about, Arthur! Camelot! Camelot this! Camelot that! What about us? Isn't Camelot made of people? Shouldn't we matter more?" Gawain replied in a stunning hateful voice that made Calisto recoil. This wasn't exactly the tone that a knight of Camelot should use for his prince.

"Of course you matter," Arthur spurted, trying to remain oblivious of the tone used with him, "but you are bound to protect the precise people that you're mentioning. How are you going to do that, if you're not even trying, Gawain?"

"Maybe I have problems, did you think of that?!" Gawain snapped back.

"Really? Well, if you have them, why don't you tell me what's the matter and together we can reach a solution? You can't continue behaving like this. It's a disgrace."

"It's a disgrace?! I have shed my blood for Camelot for a long time now and you still train us hard and keep a vigil watch on us like we are your dogs. We are not some toy soldiers that you can play with. We are humans!" Gawain snarled at the prince and this time Calisto headed slowly for the door, knowing for sure that this time if she was caught the things would end up pretty badly for her and her only.

"Dogs?" Arthur sounded confused and even a little hurt and in spite of knowing better, Calisto couldn't stop herself from feeling sorry for the young prince. She knew from Merlin just how much the prince worked for the benefit of his people. "Dogs?" he repeated this time a little more annoyed and a chilling feeling crept into Calisto's heart. "No, I didn't treat you like dogs, Gawain, because if I did then you wouldn't dare talk to me like that. Whenever you have been in the rain, so have I and whenever we had a fight I went in the first line. So don't give me this crap, Gawain, about me treating you like dogs. I thought that we are comrades; I thought that we were supposed to protect each other and show courage to protect Camelot and what it stands for. You spew a lot of nonsense, Gawain, but you're not telling me the truth. There's another reason why you're behaving like this and if you don't have the guts to tell me to my face, then so be it."

Calisto clung to the door handle just as Prince Arthur entered in the chamber with a hurt look on his face. He completely froze when he saw her. Calisto couldn't stop herself from admiring the prince. He seemed really imposing with the armour still strapped on his shoulders and his sword at his hip. He looked indeed like any other knight should look like. His golden hair was stuck on his forehead due to the sweat and his glistening blue eyes seemed to light his entire face. Yes, Calisto had to admit that there was something regal in Arthur's stance, something that it wasn't easy to fake.

But there was also an immense solitude in those eyes, the kind of solitude that people hear about but never feel. Arthur was the only prince of Camelot and he had so many duties and so many obligations that facing them all every day was hard enough without having a knight under his command snap at him.

Maybe because she surprised him in a moment of weakness or maybe because he was more humane than she gave him credit for, Arthur's face softened. He still kept a small frown on his face and yet there wasn't any hardness covering his features and she felt grateful for that. At least helping Merlin in his endeavor to protect Arthur in that particular moment didn't sound so bad.

"Not now, maid!" Gawain's voice made them both snap back to reality and Arthur turned to see Gawain standing behind him with a really cold expression on his face looking at Calisto like _she_ has done something wrong. "And what are you doing in my chamber anyways, without even asking for permission?"

"I'm so-sorry," she stammered because she realized that the knight was in no mood for her ironic remarks, "I knocked but since no one answered I entered. I didn't …I mean…"

"It's alright, Calisto." Arthur intervened still in a soft voice but without looking at her. His tone this time settled the clear hierarchy that was in the room. "What Sir Gawain is trying to say is that you should come back a little bit later. Right now I still have some important things to discuss with him." Arthur's voice left no room for any other comments and she saw how Gawain looked a little more tensed. Maybe he wasn't made of stone after all and there was some common sense in that thick skull of his.

"Yes, sire! Please, excuse me!" She said quickly and before the obnoxious knight could add perhaps something else, she listened to Arthur's barely veiled advice and got out. She tried to make her heart steady itself before the voices in the room started discussing again, because she remembered something from what the dragon told them last night. He advised them to keep a watch on those close to Arthur and she couldn't help thinking that maybe Gawain lost his loyalty not only towards Camelot but towards his prince as well.

She took a deep breath again and started to descend in trembling steps the stairs of the servants. Arthur… he seemed really hurt by what nonsense that bastard of Gawain told him and she felt bad. _So bad_. It wasn't that she had a great opinion on Arthur but she could see how much effort he put in making his duty the best way possible. Even a blind man could see that. Calisto stopped suddenly, thinking if it wasn't better to inform Merlin of what she had just witnessed. She whirled around with a thoughtful look on her face and that's when her eyes all of a sudden settled on what could have been only a product of magic. Even to her modern mind, it screamed magic and as her eyes widened because of the shock a sudden shrill filled her ears letting her fall on the cold ground. It should have left her unconscious but it didn't. And then it all turned for the worst.


	7. Six: Treachery

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters or the plot of the _Merlin_ series. They simply help me out to tell a story.

**Six**

**Treachery**

She felt as if she was made out of stone. Her limbs were heavy as lead and she could barely breathe. Actually she was pretty sure that nothing in her body worked well anymore and that only the magic of the particular being in front of her was keeping her alive. In her heart there was a long needle made of silver. It had most likely pierced her heart and made her fall under the spell. She couldn't move anything and she couldn't talk. She felt like a prisoner caught forever in a prison of flesh and bones and she was sure that if her body had allowed it, she would have cried like a small baby by now. There was no one around to save her and the being in front of her was most likely settled on the idea to kill her.

She felt small and insignificant, crumbled to the ground like that, so hopelessly bound not to move or speak until she was told to. There was an odd taste in her mouth and she could barely breathe. Her captor looked at her in mild disgust. The man was clearly possessed by something; only God knew what sort of twisted magical being. He remembered to have seen him before around the inner courtyard. He was a poor stable boy that was serving the knights and doing some small chores until he could begin something more important. But what made her cringe inward, what made her want to retreat even more within herself were the eyes of the young man. They were completely blue. There was no white or other colour; just that aquamarine blue that spread a fear inside her so vivid that her heart might have raised its beats had it not been pierced by that needle.

He was looking at her like he was assessing how important or not so important she was for him. "You reek of out worldly magic. What exactly are you?" The hissed words made her want to recoil, want to hide deep in a hole and never resurface again. There was something incredibly cold in that voice and still Calisto was bound to the ground not able to move or answer to that being.

"You're definitely not a sorceress." He continued and kneeled in front of her, grabbing her by the chin since she couldn't move, thus making her look deep into his horribly blue eyes. She felt herself swallowing hard, although the lump never left her throat. "I don't know what or who you are, but listen to me, you pathetic human, I won't let you interfere in my business. How dare you appear here, ready to take everything away from me? Do you know how much I have worked to be here at this moment, to be able to possess such treacherous beings such as this impudent little boy?" The being tightened its hold on her, making her want to whimper softly, but no sound left her lips. "Your magic won't be enough to stop me, if you dare to move against me." He got up again and looked disdainfully at her. "There are greater things at stake here. The future of Camelot is mine and it will die as I see fit and you can't do anything to stop me. Now," he paused a little thoughtful in his words, "I will let you live this time, but next time I won't be this merciful. Go back to your world, maggot, your presence isn't required here. This is my first and final warning for you."

He looked at her one more time and then finally began to retreat while still letting the needle in her heart. She wondered if this is how she was going to die, left alone on a small stony corridor, in the middle of a castle to which she didn't belong. There was certainly something at stake here, something greater than she had imagined and now she could see the predicament in which most likely Merlin had been in the last few years. He had to be part of the magic surrounding them and yet at the same time protect people that weren't going to ever be thankful to him. She had to do something, she had to warn Merlin and tell him what has happened but the enchanted needle in her heart was poisoning her limbs, leaving her incapacitated.

She didn't know how long she had stayed like that, on that small corridor, but all of the sudden Merlin was there in front of her, looking slightly panicked and trying to make her move. Calisto wanted to explain that it was the needle in her heart making everything unbearably hard for her to even breathe but the young warlock seemed to understand and assess perfectly the situation for he immediately scooped her in his arms and went down the stairs towards the courtyard.

"Everything will be fine, Calisto, you will see." He murmured softly in her ear while her arms kept her safe. "Gaius will know what to do, I'm sure of it. I know that most likely it is the needle, but I don't want to take it out without making sure that it's the right thing to do." He was rambling most likely ready to panic and she wanted to sooth him, to tell him that she wasn't afraid now that that he was here. But nothing would come out.

When she saw the blue sky above her, she let the colours and the noise surround and sooth her too. For on that corridor it had been silence as if she were in a grave and everything here reminded her of life and warmth and not those icy blue eyes that looked at her with such disdain.

"What happened to her?" A new voice rang in her ears and almost immediately she recognized Arthur's voice. She wanted to move around her eyes, see him, and make sure that he was all right, but her body didn't allow that.

"I don't know. I just found her like that. Someone must have attacked her. I'm taking her to Gaius. He'll know what to do."

"Yes, you're right. Let's go. I must know as soon as possible who did this to her." There was a certain urgency in their voices as they spoke but she was feeling heavier by the minute and she wondered if that being hadn't lied to her and if that needle wasn't already poisoning for good her limbs. Her head was swimming with such questions that couldn't be answered.

Gaius took one look at Merlin and Arthur's panicked faces and knew instantly that something went terribly wrong. Calisto looked even frailer in Merlin's arms and he wanted to touch her just to make sure that she was alive. His young apprentice laid her on the small bed that they were keeping for patients.

"What happened?" Gaius asked in a calm voice for the two young men looked on the brink of panic.

"I don't know. I found her like that. She's still alive but I'm not sure since when she had that needle in her heart. It seems like it poisons her entire body."

"Gaius, can you do something for her?" Arthur interrupted Merlin's ramblings.

"If you two can keep quiet and let me work, maybe I can do something." Gaius analyzed the needle and a shudder passed through his body. He hasn't seen this type of work from the age when Uther banished sorcery and there were people fighting for their lives. Back then there had been quite some dark times when nobody was able to tell friend from foe. He knew how the needle worked too. In the dark years of the sorcery banishment, there were many people who didn't know where to turn for help and they have used their powers in a very wrong way that made Uther's desire to destroy them even more avid. This needle was used not only to incapacitate people in their ways to defend themselves, but also in obtaining information from them, information which then was used to create even more havoc. There were dark times indeed and far too many innocent people had fallen under the blade of the executioner.

He sighed heavily for this needle was the sign that dark times were coming back again to hinder the process of peace and let old wounds heal. He went to a shelf in the back of the room from where he retreated a book and searched for the instructions on how to take it out of the body of the victim. He couldn't afford at the moment to think that the victim was Calisto, although he could read the horror of being thus incapacitated in her startling eyes. After reading briefly what had to be done, he returned and started to prepare the potion, which he would have to give her to drink afterwards.

"What is that needle, Gaius?" Prince Arthur dared to interrupt him and the old man knew that he had to respond to that question for Arthur was not renowned for his patience.

"It is called Arleta's needle. It incapacitates people to move and at times it even kills them. It was very much used back in the days when sorcery had been banished from these lands."

"Is Calisto's life in danger?" The young prince asked in his blank demeanour as Gaius managed to finish the potion. The old doctor looked for a moment in the staggering blue eyes of the prince and read in them guilt. That surprised him.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, your majesty. It is not your fault that she is in such a predicament." Merlin looked troubled at his prince. Arthur indeed looked as if he himself had put that needle in Calisto's heart.

"I sent her away. I was arguing with Gawain and I thought it would have been better for her to come back a little later. That's what I told her."

"It is not your fault, sire." Gaius said again concentrating on the needle again. "She will tell us soon who is guilty for her state. For now let's make sure that she would come back to us." He looked at Calisto and whispered softly. "Now my dear child, this is going to hurt a little bit. There most likely will be a sort of burning sensation from what people have described to me but it will pass quickly. As soon as I will take it out, you must take the potion, which I will give you. Its taste is foul but it will clear your body of any poison left in your body." He softly caressed her hair when he read apprehension in her eyes. "Everything will be fine, my dear. We are all with you."

Gaius' hand grabbed the needle and inhaling deeply, he pulled it out swiftly from the body. As soon as its tip left Calisto, the young girl inhaled deeply and then moaned in pain, but the good doctor knew that it wasn't over yet so he took the medicine making her drink it without letting her take another breath.

"Swallow, my dear, swallow." He said while holding gently her head, making her swallow the foul medicine.

A bitter taste invaded each taste bud of her mouth and yet Calisto has never been as grateful to be feeling something so horrible as she felt when she swallowed the medicine. She coughed a couple of times as she was settled back on the bed under the supervision of three pairs of eyes. She was beginning to accustom on hearing her heart beating in her chest again and being able to move everything. All of the sudden even the smallest gestures like blinking seemed vital to her and she could almost cry. Instead she settled on trembling, feeling her muscles and rejoicing in the fact that she could move them again.

"How are you feeling, my child?" Gaius' mild voice brought her back to reality.

"Sore." She swallowed again and the doctor gave her a little bit of water to wash the foul taste that the medicine left in her mouth.

"Who did this to you, Calisto?" Arthur's voice was commanding and she remembered unexpectedly how he saved her from Gawain and his rage.

"It was something magic, sire." She knew she should choose her next words carefuly because unexpectedly the air sparked with tense electricity.

"Magic?" Merlin repeated not sure of what to make of Calisto's words.

"Yes, it was… Actually I don't know what it was. It must have been something that possessed a poor stable boy. But the eyes, well, they were incredibly blue, like there was nothing but blue."

"Did he say why he was doing this?" Merlin asked knowing now that Calisto wasn't going to tell them the whole truth until Arthur was going to leave them alone.

"He said I was a warning. He said that the future of Camelot was his." She shuddered remembering the cruelty with which that strange being looked at her. "He said that he would leave me alive. This time."

"We must find that stable boy," Arthur sprung into action.

"Most likely he won't remember anything, your majesty." Gaius tempered the young man. "In such cases, usually the possessed being can't recall anything from what he or she had done while being possessed. From now on, we should be more vigil. I wonder what might have meant by the fact that the future of Camelot is his."

"I must report this to my father." Arthur tensed under the threat that whatever attacked Calisto might pose for his kingdom. "He must be made aware of the threats that lie within the walls of Camelot."

"I would avoid doing that at the moment, your majesty." Gaius said. "Caution is advised at the moment and we all know that king Uther isn't someone to be cautious concerning magic."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I think that it would be good for now to be vigilant and not say anything. Instead we could make our own investigations and make sure that something like this might not happen again."

"But how are we going to do that, Gaius?" Arthur frowned. "Like Calisto said, that being can most likely possess anyone and everything. He might harm people as we speak."

"If he said that he just wanted to warn us, then it's more likely that he will wait to strike at another time. I am sure in the mean time we can look for it or at least look for it in the library of the castle. There are incredible tomes there with an enormous amount of information. I am sure that giving it time, we can find out more about it than we can think of at the moment. Alarming the people and the king won't solve anything at the moment, except perhaps make the matter worse."

"Yes, you're right, as always Gaius." Arthur kept his brows furrowed but his eyes were more than opened to all of them. He was like an open book and Calisto couldn't help not remembering the expression on his face when he was faced with those erroneous accusations from Gawain. Arthur might have been a royal prat, who didn't care about anything other than Camelot, but he was always there for his people and she couldn't care less about Gawain and his accusations. "But between my duties and yours, Gaius, there won't be anyone left to look up anything in the library."

"I could help, sire." Calisto blurted before she thought better of it.

"Calisto, you were already attacked by that vile creature." Arthur snapped. "Don't you think that once is more than enough? If he used you as a warning, he most likely would be coming after you again."

"I know, sire, but taking into consideration that no one has the time to go and check him up…" Calisto shrugged. "At the moment we don't have too much work to do so maybe if your majesty can speak with the librarian, he might allow me some time between his tomes. I could at least search for right tomes and when you have the time, you could check them too."

"Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all," Gaius said.

"Very well then, I shall talk to Sir Camryn and tell him to let you enter whenever you want. We shall tell him that you are doing some research for Gaius."

"Yes, sire." A strange exhilarating feeling took over Calisto's heart. Maybe it was the feeling of adventure, the dreaded feeling that no matter what happened she wouldn't be able to deal with it due to her lack of magic, yet she was strangely pleased that she was able to do something and help not only Merlin but also Arthur.

"We shall let you rest then." Arthur smiled a little. Well, it was more like a twitch of lips for her sake but Calisto would take what she could. "Come on, Merlin."

"Could I stay a few more moments, sire?" Merlin asked blushing a little and Arthur couldn't help smirking all knowing.

"Very well. But not for long. You have work to do." Smiling again mischievously, he left the room. As soon as they were left alone, Merlin turned apprehensively towards Calisto.

"What is it that you couldn't tell me?"

"Many things. And I must explain a couple of things before it." Calisto looked at Gaius who nodded, silently agreeing to listen as well. "From where I came from," she looked pointedly at Merlin, making herself understood that she was talking about Moira and her punishment, "I was advised to be aware of the blue eyes. Today that being which warned me had those incredible blue eyes and I feel that what is worse is about to come." Calisto inhaled deeply still a little weary of what had happened that afternoon. "It warned me that the future of Camelot was his and that he worked too hard to be here to let anyone destroy his chances of succeeding."

"Succeeding in what?"

"I don't know, Merlin, it wasn't like he was ready to give me more explanations. He just told me that I reeked of out worldly magic and that I should better stay away from everything. I don't know what I did but apparently he considers me a threat. I don't know why since I am incapable of magic."

"Was there anything else?"

"Well, before I was attacked, I was just about to go looking for you because I think that I know who is threatening Arthur."

"What do you mean?" Gaius finally interrupted their conversation.

"The dragon warned us that before the tournament began, there would be a threat to Arthur's life." Merlin explained looking again anxiously at Calisto. "Who do you think it is?"

"I think it is Gawain." Calisto answered without even flinching, but both men gasped in astonishment.

"Calisto, let's not exaggerate here." Gaius intervened. "Sir Gawain is an incredibly brave knight who fought alongside Arthur more than enough. I really doubt that he could anything against his own prince."

"I would hesitate myself in spite of him being a prat, but before my encounter with that being, I went to clean Gawain's room and in the other chamber, Arthur and Gawain were fighting. The way Gawain spoke and behaved towards Arthur weren't worthy of a knightly conduct. Not to mention he accused Arthur of being preoccupied only by the well-being of Camelot and that he didn't care about his knights, that he was treating them like dogs. I sincerely doubt that Arthur would do such a thing. The prince also said that Gawain wasn't behaving like himself lately."

"It's true," Merlin remarked thoughtful. "Lately he's been drinking a lot and he's late for training, especially since it was announced that he would participate to the tournament of the three roses. Other knights have also become aware of his conduct. But somehow I doubt that Gawain would put his prince in danger. After all he is a knight of Camelot and they all respect Arthur."

"I'm not so sure about hat, Merlin." Calisto was adamant in making herself believed. "You haven't heard him talk to Arthur. The prince looked hurt by his words. It is something that we should take into consideration. The dragon said that the threat might come from somewhere close to Arthur and Gawain is as close as one can be. I fear for the safety of the prince."

"I thought you didn't like him." Merlin smirked at her and Calisto felt herself blush.

"I don't." When the young man wriggled his brows at her, she blushed even more. "Seriously, I don't, but even I can see some of the few qualities that Arthur Pendragon has and I won't let a good-for-nothing knight like Gawain harm him."

"Wow, you're taking this really seriously." Merlin observed.

"Perhaps too seriously." Gaius added. "For now I think it is best to keep under observation Gawain just to make sure that he doesn't put in danger anyone and in the mean time we can check who is the mysterious being that has attacked Calisto. As for the rest, we will seek solutions as the things come in our way."

"You're right, Gaius." Merlin smiled softly. "Now that I know I have a true ally in you, Calisto, I will go to Arthur. Most likely by now he must have cooked up another means to make my life miserable."

"He is very inventive when it comes to that."

"More than. Are you sure you are alright?"

"Yes, Merlin, thanks to Gaius."

"Very well then. Rest a little."

"No, I will come with you. There's much work to be done and I don't want to have Sir Geoffrey having complaints about me. Gaius, what do you think?"

"You shouldn't be in anymore danger." The old man smiled gently at her. "But if you feel ill, don't hesitate to come to me."

"Very well then."

Calisto smiled and kissed him on the cheek then went on her way with Merlin. While cleaning the rooms, she couldn't help thinking that maybe she was brought here to help Merlin in his endeveaour to take care of Arthur and she decided she wanted that. It was a new thrill in her life and knowing that she would have to work hard to get back to her world, there was nothing left for her than insist on helping the two men.

The following day, she didn't have too much time to spare for the previous day's events for there was much work to do. But as the evening fell over Camelot, she finally climbed the stairs towards the eastern tower where some of the most important books of Camelot were preserved. When Sir Camryn saw her coming in, he almost sputtered in disgust.

"Ah, yes, prince Arthur told me that you are here to search for something for Sir Gaius." He said in an icy tone. "Make sure, silly child, not to disturb anything or I will be sure to make his Majesty hear about your affront."

"Yes, sir Camryn." She bowed humbly for she knew it was the only method to make the old man get a little better. Unfortunately his grey eyes kept looking at her as if she was some sort of underling, incapable of intelligent thought. But she wasn't there for his sake so she went along looking a little lost at the books.

The walls were covered with some of the most fascinating books and she would have liked to have a closer look at all of them. Being a major in English literature, she knew that in that room there must be a thesaurus but there wasn't time. She didn't know how much time she was allowed to spend here daily so it was time to search for what she was interested in. Calisto swallowed hard. This was going to be the most difficult task of all. Through hundreds of rows full of books, she had to find the ones that were related to magic.

Just as she got more and more lost looking through the tomes, reading their titles, knowing full well that this might take too much time, she abruptly became aware that whatever might be related to magic would be most likely be kept in the back. So she crossed swiftly through the small corridors between the shelves. At the back of the enormous room the light faded and the smell of damp and well-worn paper was stronger but there, on a huge wall there were books full of information about magical creatures. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up a tome. It was an encyclopedia of the most unnatural kind, where she could find creatures that her modern mind had classified as fantastic.

She started to read voraciously knowing there wasn't time to be wasted. She let time speed by her unaware of how long she was there. Her shoulders were tensed and her legs didn't forget the work they had to do that day. It was no use though. The being that attacked her wasn't even mentioned. Just as she was putting the book back, ready to call it a night, the sound of steps made her aware of someone approaching. Knowing full well that being caught in this section might mean an incredible punishment for her, she hid quickly behind a shelf of other books. Her heart was beating fast and she could barely hold her breath. The person who came had stopped where she was before, where the light of a small torch kept the dark away and making the room perhaps even more menacing. She could hear the rumble of someone searching something and she felt scared again.

Who was that person that dared to search in the books of magic? Curiosity was too strong and she slowly bent down, peaking after the shelf just in time to see the light of the torch casting the most sinister shadows on the face of Sir Gawain. Now there wasn't any doubt in her mind. Someone was plotting something against Arthur and that someone was Gawain. He was the traitor of Camelot.

_A/N: Useless excuses for being so late with the update can be read on my profile, should you be interested in my pathetic explanations. Terrible sorry for any mistakes that might have been in this chapter. _


	8. Seven: Illusion

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the plot or the characters of the _Merlin_ series. They belong to their creator and writers of the show, or to world's heritage. Take your pick. :D

**Seven**

**Illusion**

"It's Gawain!" She yelled as soon as she got back into the house making both Merlin and Gaius drop whatever they were doing and looking at her in awe. It was late in the night and the candles were throwing eerie shadows in the room. But she was resolute in being heard and there was no time to overanalyze things.

"For crying out loud, my dear girl, you almost made my heart stop," Gaius said after a while trying to contain himself. For a moment the room was filled with only the sound of their breaths.

"Well, I am sorry, dearest Gaius, but I come bearing news and it's definitely not of the good kind." Calisto said quickly inhaling deeply and went to the table trying to calm herself down. Her hands were trembling because of the adrenalin and everything in her body was still tensed with the nerves. She had run from the east tower after being hidden behind a wall of books and she thought that she might have been followed. Yet there was no point in denying that what she discovered tonight while it proved her right, it still hurt her to know that the peril was going to come from such a close person to Arthur.

"What happened?" Merlin asked quietly taking into her appearance. The girl was almost white and she felt still completely lost. He offered her a goblet of water, which she drank almost immediately.

"So Arthur went and spoke with Sir Camryn and tonight I went to the library to check on some of the books that were there."

"Did you find anything interesting?" Gaius interrupted her.

"Unfortunately no." She shook dejectedly her head small strands of hair covering her elegant neck. "It was very difficult to find the shelves with the magic books for I didn't find in me the courage to ask Sir Camryn about them and there were lots of interesting books which might help us in the future but for now I am afraid that the mysterious being that attacked me will remain a mystery."

"So what is it with Gawain then?" Merlin asked.

"The thing is, as I checked the books down there, I heard some steps and they were coming closer and closer to the magic shelves so I naturally hid behind another shelf because I was afraid what might be said in case I was found there. I mean, of course it might have been said that I was ordered by Arthur to search for something but wanted to serve my own purposes and-" She stopped to take a breath and looked at the bewildered of the men in front of her so she blushed a little. "Very well, I am rambling but it was pretty exhilarating to do such a thing."

"No one blames you, my dear, for rambling," Gaius smiled kindly at her amusement twinkling in his eyes, "it's just that we have never seen you such elated over something before."

"It's just… such an adventure." She admitted grudgingly while blushing a little more. "Well, except the parts when you make foul discoveries; then the exhilaration turns into something else completely."

"What do you mean?" Merlin cut her rambling short and Calisto remembered in an instant why she had been trying to say as soon as she came into the house.

"As I was saying, I hid myself behind another bookshelf and I took a peak to see who the person was. And guess what? It was Gawain, right in front of the magic books searching for something. I tried to have a look at the tomes he searched for, but he took some of them with him."

"With him?" Gaius frowned. "How is it that Sir Camryn let him take some of the tomes? I am sure that it is more than prohibited to take out tomes from the library, especially the magic related ones."

"I didn't know that." Calisto felt trembling less and able to concentrate a little more on the matter at hand. "Anyways if this is what happened, all the more things support the fact that Gawain is planning something against Arthur. That man is most likely able to hurt the prince and we must do something and quickly before it's too late."

"We mustn't rush into action." Gaius' voice of reason tried to gain control on the both young people who now seemed a little disappointed. "Firstly we must find out what kind of tomes he has taken from the library."

"Well, that's easy." Calisto grinned. "Since I am the one that cleans the mess in his chamber, I think I can take a peak at what he ahs been trying to hide. I might be able to go while he is in the courtyard."

"I don't think this is such a good idea." Merlin protested. "If Gawain is the one at fault and he controls that being, then we must be extra careful, which means that you should try to expose yourself. You've escaped once from a terrible death. You might not be able to do so a second time."

"Oh, Merlin, it's not like I am going to advertize the fact that I am trying to take information from him." Calisto rolled her eyes. "And besides I am the only one with complete access to his chambers. Who else is going to take upon this endeavor? Seriously."

"I think you like all this exhilarating part a little too much." He mumbled not feeling sorry for trying to take the danger away from her.

"Relax. What's the worst that could happen?" She grinned at him, and then furrowed her brows. "I don't like it though. I don't like it one bit; if Gawain tries to harm Arthur, he has big chances to succeed. He's far too close to Arthur and a nobleman at that. In case we have to expose him, there are big chances that Arthur would rather listen to him than us."

"This is true, unless we have proof." Gaius said. "As long as you take care of yourself, I have no objections in you finding out what tomes he has taken from the tower. On the other hand I will try to find out why Sir Camryn has permitted to Gawain to take those tomes out of library. Maybe this will shed another light over things."

"I will observe Gawain's behaviour and how he reacts to what Arthur is saying on the training ground. In case that he uses any type of magic, I should be able to feel it. Hopefully we can figure out something before the tournament begins, because afterwards I fear the worst."

"Then I am going to bed." Calisto declared smiling shakily. "It has been quite an adventurous night and I feel like more are about to come."

"Rest well, my child, and I shall see you in the morning." Calisto smiled warmly at Gaius. She cared about the old man and his kindness never ceased to amaze her. She kissed him on the cheek and gracefully embraced him. Then she ruffled Merlin's hair and left them alone.

But despite being atrociously tired by the events of the day and of the night as well, Calisto couldn't find her sleep when finally in bed. She wondered how come she wasn't terrified by what had happened to her in the days that have passed. She had seen a dragon, she joined a magician and on top of it she almost died while her heart had been pierced by a poisoned needle. And yet she found her world more thrilling than ever before, for she didn't think of the real world, not even once, in the recent days. She was more concentrated into finding out what Gawain is plotting rather than seek a way to get back to her world.

She kept thinking that maybe if there was a way out of this, it would be by helping Merlin in protecting Arthur as the dragon saw her as a possible ally. Yet she was helping the young warlock because she thought that Arthur was indeed going to become a great king, just like the legends have said and to know that he had existed, even if she would get back to a real world, it would still have been more than enough for her. She finally fell asleep with thoughts of Arthur and Merlin swimming in her head and her dreams weren't spared of the harsh reality in which she was settling herself.

The following morning both she and Merlin were giddy with finding out some more things about Gawain. While Calisto had to clean all the other chambers before finally going to the knight's chamber, Merlin found difficult the task to keep an eye on him as exactly that day Arthur kept finding tasks for him. When right before going to the training grounds Arthur sent him to polish one of his newer armours, Merlin twitched in exasperation.

"Why are you so fidgety, Merlin?" Arthur asked in his oh-so-exasperated-tone, typical when dealing with Merlin.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Merlin rolled his eyes. "I'm not fidgeting."

"Just by refusing to answer my question, you just proved me that you're fidgeting."

"Seriously, Arthur, I actually answered your question. I said I'm not fidgeting. I have given a negative answer."

"Just go and polish the damn armours before I think of making you clean something else today. Like maybe the stables, together with the other stable boys. See if you find out anything about the man that has attacked Calisto."

"It bothers you, doesn't it?" Merlin replied with an all-knowing smirk and Arthur rolled his incredible blue eyes at him.

"Of course it bothers me, _Merlin_. In case you didn't realize, magic is at use within the walls of my city and I want to find out who's doing this before it's too late and more victims emerge."

"What if it is someone that we know, someone close to us?"

"Do you think that anyone who serves us might be capable of such a treachery?" Arthur's inquisitive eyes settled on his manservant. "That person that betrays me better make sure that neither do I find them out, nor am I alive if they try to harm me or anyone else. For I will make sure they will pay for this. Rest assured of that."

"I have never doubted that." Merlin mumbled just as Sir Lanval knocked and opened the door. His kind eyes smiled and Merlin found himself thinking of Calisto and the young woman's high regard for the knight.

"Good morning, sire. Are you ready? Should I assemble the men?"

"Ah, yes, good morning, Lanval. Yes, assemble the men and tell them today we are mostly working with our swords. Some of us don't have such an excellent foot work such as yours."

"Your Majesty, modesty isn't one of your traits." Lanval grinned openly and Merlin realized that Arthur was indeed friendly with his knights and knew when to be their friend and when to enforce his authority on them. "You merely want to flatter me so that you can defeat me later on and make a lesson out of me."

"You know me too well, Lanval." The prince smiled back and it was kind of nice to see Arthur relaxed around his knight. "Is Gawain still in his chambers?"

"No, sire." Lanval smiled this time a little cautiously and looked briefly at Merlin as if seeking counsel on how to proceed next. "He's actually on the training grounds, waiting for us."

"Well, that's new." Arthur's bitter response didn't come as a surprise for the knight. Unfortunately in the past weeks not only Arthur saw the way Gawain was behaving, but also the knights. Palamedes said on numerous occasions that Gawain should be taught a lesson. But Lanval had found out just like everybody else in the castle that the prince had a terrible discussion with one who used to be one of his most loyal knights. Apparently the discussion had a great effect on the knight, but just like everyone else, Lanval wondered for how long.

"Well, let's look at the bright side, sire. He's up and ready to teach us all a lesson." Lanval smiled again trying to ease the tension in the room. "Of course not to me since I have an excellent foot work."

"Then let's see that." Arthur grinned and got out of the chamber followed by the knight while joking and laughing. Almost immediately Merlin said an incantation so as the armours would clean themselves in an instant. He then ran to seek Calisto and tell her that it might be a good time to check Gawain's chambers.

By then Calisto had finished with all the other rooms, so as soon as Merlin gave her the news, she almost ran to Gawain's room. Of course the knight had let his chambers as if pigs had run free through it. She shook her head annoyed by the arrogant knight. For crying out loud, was it so difficult for him to make a bit of an effort? The clothes should stay at least in some of the cupboards or the huge wardrobe. And the food… What a waste! If he had been there at the moment, she most likely would have yelled at him.

She looked around her. There was no chance to find anything in this mess so she started to clean the room before the knight would appear. Calisto wondered during this time what made Gawain turn against Arthur, what made him go over the age. She was losing her hope that she might find the books though. She hadn't expected for them to be laid in plain view, for magic was definitely prohibited in Camelot and any person found guilty of it, even a knight like Gawain would suffer dire consequences. Yet at the same time she hoped foolishly that…. There they were!

Thrown a little bit askew, under the bed, there were the tomes that he had retrieved from the east tower. Take that, Gawain! She pulled them out just in time to see that one of them was exactly concerned with beings that could possess humans or at least influence them in doing something that they didn't want. She swallowed hard. She could still remember the steel blue eyes of the one that attacked her and she slowly opened the book. She checked it thoroughly, jumping at every sound that the castle was making, at every whisper that was heard. Alas, but there was nothing on the being that attacked her. The other one was interested in potions that could influence people as well. She wondered briefly what she was going to do with them now that she had found them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gawain's angry voice reverberated through the chamber and she looked anxiously at the knight who was still in the doorway fuming more than ever. His eyes were looking at her as if he was planning torturous ways to murder her and that definitely wasn't a pleasant place to go to.

"I just- I mean, I was cleaning and found them here. I thought-" She began to stutter.

"You thought nothing, silly girl!" Gawain interrupted her and entered the chamber closing the door behind him. "I know that you stupid servants can't read to save your life, but still going through my things? I should tell Sir Geoffrey that you were snooping around. See what he thinks of this."

"But I wasn't." Calisto argued angrily, gaining a little bit of courage, although she was arguing against the truth. "You can't blame me for trying to clean after your mess. It wasn't my fault that the room looked as if a storm had passed through. I thought that if I wouldn't take them out, you would yell at me for not doing my job right. God, you're impossible to satisfy! No wonder you change your menservants like socks."

"Be careful what you're saying, maid, for you pass a dangerous territory here." His eyes darkened a little more. He made a few steps towards her and took the books from her hands. "I don't know where you're coming from and how you lived before but here in Camelot we respect the rank and title and what comes with these. And you're nothing. Do you understand that? If you would disappear tomorrow, nobody would give a damn about you and ten other maids would take your place."

Calisto's whole body was shaking because of the emotions coursing through her veins. He was saying exactly what had passed through her mind that night when she was punished to appear here. It was like he was confirming her thoughts. Yet oddly enough that didn't hurt her. Mostly she was just angry. This man, this insolent man, that swore allegiance to his prince, was betraying the very man that he swore to protect and he dared to give her lectures. How dared he?

"No, I don't think so." Her voice cracked in anger.

"What did you just say?"

"I said I don't think so." She repeated herself, this time a little louder. "I may be insignificant to you and all, and yes replaceable too, but here there are people who love me, who care about me and if I would disappear, they would come for me. And yes, rank and title are important and I am aware that sometimes I don't behave accordingly but you have nothing on me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you how you talked to the prince the other day." Her tone seethed with anger and disgust. "I heard how disrespectful you were towards him. He is the future king and yet _he_ had treated me better than you've ever had."

"Shut up!" Gawain yelled and unexpectedly caught her neck in his right hand, making the books falling to the ground. The coarse glove dug in her soft skin, but the strength with which he was holding her flesh made her choke. Her eyes watered because of the pressure of the hand over her neck. He tried to pry his hand away from her but he only caught her tighter. His fingers would leave marks but he seemed oblivious to this.

"How dare you lecture me, you insignificant worm?" His voice boomed with anger and something more, although she couldn't name it. "How dare you speak to me like that? I am the first son of one of the oldest families in Camelot, we have shed blood for this city, more than you could ever hope to, and I will speak to my friend like I see fit, without a silly peasant girl like you judging me. Now if I ever and I really mean _ever_ catch you going through my things, I will punish you so hard, you will pray for the end to come quicker. Have you got that?"

"Yes," she choked the answer and he seemed satisfied enough for he let her go. As soon as she was freed, Calisto collapsed to the hard floor under his steely eyes.

"Now I will put these tomes in the back chamber, away from your prying eyes and if I hear so much a whisper about it to anyone else, I will keep my promise towards you."

"Yes, sire." She mumbled with a roughness in her voice that wasn't before. Probably she was going to sound hoarse for a few days. She stayed on the floor, trying to catch her breath while he was probably hiding his tomes and then when he got out of the back chamber, he slowly drank some water and looked at her.

"Not a word to this one." He reiterated.

"I hate you." She hissed looking at him still frightened but with some spirit still in her and for a tiny moment in time, he actually looked ashamed for what he had done to her. "I hate you so much." His all posture was rigid and all the remorse that he might have felt was drown in unyielding blankness.

"That's alright. You're not unique in that respect either. Now clean the rest of the mess and stay away from the back chamber, maid."

"Yes, sire."

As soon as he left the room, she started almost immediately to cry and let all that tension free her body. She felt like she could barely breathe, but she was determined now to search for what ever it took to bring Gawain down and show him that it didn't matter what title you had, so long as you could behave like a decent human being. She wiped her tear-stained cheeks and finished cleaning the room. She was going tonight to visit the east tower again and bring this asshole down and maybe, just maybe, prove to Arthur that his friend was a backstabbing traitor. Yes, title mattered. But Arthur never made her feel like she was worthless, neither did Morgana and they were the highest ranked in Camelot.

If the other servants saw the state in which she returned from Gawain's chambers, they didn't mention anything and Sir Geoffrey neither summoned her, nor was she called upon to go and serve Gawain's lunch. She carried out the rest of her chores without paying much attention to anything other than her nefarious plans to ruin Gawain and his stupid plans to get to Arthur.

By evening she was so tired that she had barely had the strength to go back to Gaius' house.

"Oh, good, you're here." Arthur's voice penetrated too late her brain for almost immediately she heard a gasp: "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" She got defensive as soon as she saw the three men looming over her. "I just had much work to do today. That is all."

"Don't lie to me, Calisto." Arthur's blue eyes were commanding. "Who did this to you?"

"I really don't understand what you're talking about."

"Oh, I don't know, how about the damn prints of fingers on your neck like someone has tried to strangle you?" Arthur's voice rose to incredible tones, which she personally never heard before. Merlin grabbed her by the hand and led her to a chair to rest a little.

"Who did this to you, Calisto?" Merlin asked gently as Gaius began to quietly see if he could do anything for the soreness that she was feeling. He soothingly passed a cold watered cloth over the bruises and let it rest there for a while.

"I can't say." She rasped and the men looked again as if they were about to lose the control.

"Can't or won't?" Arthur intervened.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try us. Try _me_."

"Look, last night I went to the library and investigate, see if I could find something about that mysterious being. It took me a while to track the magic tomes because I was afraid to ask Sir Camryn about them. Anyways, just as I was searching among them, someone approached the same shelves where I was. I hid because I didn't think you wanted to explain your father why I was searching though magic tomes at your order."

"You did good." Arthur replied kindly. "Who was that person?"

"Gawain." She whispered brokenly. Arthur's eyes widened under shock and made a few steps back.

"What? It's not possible."

"I'm not lying, sire." Calisto rasped. "It was him. I took a good look at his face. He was searching among the tomes of magic, he even retrieved some of them and took them to his chamber."

"What?" Arthur was getting angry again. "How dare Sir Camryn let him take the tomes just like that? Especially the ones about magic?"

"That's what we thought too, sire." Merlin intervened as Gaius offered Calisto something to drink. "So this morning we decided to at least find out what tomes he took away from the east tower. I'm guessing he found Calisto prying."

"You two went behind my back and decided to what? Scavenge through a knight's room and see where he might hide some magic books?"

"Yes, that's about right."

"But I found them, sire." Calisto said quickly before Arthur would stop listen to any of them. "And all of them were about possession or about potions that could make people bend at one's will. I'm not lying. I'm not."

"I know you're not." Arthur's voice turned into a soft whisper for a moment before he smiled at her and continued. "But what you did… It means that Gawain discovered you."

"Yes. Well, basically he threatened me not to say a word. And sire, I think he's really plotting something against you."

"All right. Enough of this." Gaius said startling all of them. "You, my dear girl, will go to bed and we will talk more of this in the morning."

"But, Gaius, I really think that I should…"

"None of it, Calisto." Merlin said adamant, trying to smile encouragingly but failing miserably.

"Very well then." She rasped again. "Oh, seriously, my voice sounds odd. I can't believe he made him sound like this." Calisto continued to mumble nonsense while she went to her room, under the watchful eyes of the men.

"How could you send her do something as perilous as this?" Arthur hissed as soon as she closed the door and Merlin was reminded almost instantly of the times at the beginning of their acquaintance when they couldn't stand each other. "You knew how Gawain was treating her and yet you let her investigate this? Are you out of your damn mind?"

"She would have done it anyways." Merlin felt guilty enough. He didn't need Arthur's accusations. "She's stubborn like that and since she was the only one with access to Gawain's chambers, well, she was the reasonable solution. We never thought that one of _your_ knights could treat her like this."

"So it's my fault now?" Arthur got even angrier. "May I remind you, Merlin, that after all I tried to-"

"Enough. The both of you." Gaius stopped them before they started to quarrel again and it said something about the respect he had gained in the hearts of the two young men, when they both sat at the table with dejected looks on their faces. "You're not helping the matter. At least now we know that Gawain may indeed be involved in this magic scheme."

"But how, Gaius? At the time when Calisto had been attacked, Gawain was with me. I didn't leave him out of my sight."

"I don't know, sire. Maybe he had an accomplice, or maybe the stable boy had already been possessed by the time he attacked Calisto. And even if all this is untrue, there are still questions to be answered. Why would he have some magic books? And more importantly why Sir Camryn let him take them out of the library? These are the questions we need to answer at the moment and blaming each other isn't going to change anything."

"You're right, Gaius, of course you're right."

"It's just her neck…" Merlin shook his head with a grim expression on his face. "It really looked terrible."

"Come on, Merlin!" Arthur got to his feet again, the previous rage all but forgotten.

"Where to?"

"To get some bloody answers."

"Yes, sire." Merlin smiled sheepishly and followed Arthur out on the door as the night was finally settling over Camelot. Although something told Gaius that he wasn't going to like this. Better prepare for the worst.


End file.
